AAPL vs QQQ: Correlation
How closely do Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of 0.55, which is moderate.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are AAPL and QQQ?
On 3 years of weekly data the AAPL/QQQ correlation comes out at 0.55, moderate. Lately the two have drifted apart, with the 1-year correlation at 0.29 versus 0.55 over 3 years. The 5-year figure is 0.68, and annualized covariance runs at 290.6 %².
By 3-year correlation, QQQ places #6 of the 32 assets tracked against AAPL. On 12-month performance AAPL holds a 10.7-point edge, +37.0% against +26.3%. This link changes with the market regime, having swung between 0.30 and 0.83 on a rolling one-year basis.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
AAPL vs QQQ: side by side
| AAPL (Apple Inc.) | QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +37.0% | +26.3% |
| 5-year return | +110.6% | +95.4% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 27.2% | 19.6% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.06 | 1.28 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -33.4% | -22.8% |
| Market cap | $4,591.0B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 36.1 | – |
| Dividend yield | 0.33% | 0.44% |
| Expense ratio | – | 0.18% |
| Assets under management | – | $452.8B |
| Sector / category | Information Technology | ETF · US Growth & Tech |
QQQ is a Large Growth fund from Invesco: $452.8B under management, 104 holdings, a 0.18% expense ratio, a 0.44% trailing dividend yield.
Year-by-year returns
| Year | AAPL | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -26.4% | -32.6% |
| 2023 | +49.0% | +54.9% |
| 2024 | +30.7% | +25.6% |
| 2025 | +9.1% | +20.8% |
| 2026 | +16.0% | +17.7% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Fund exposure
Keep in mind that QQQ holds AAPL at a 7.39% weight, which makes a slice of this correlation mechanical rather than coincidental.
Are AAPL and QQQ good diversifiers for each other?
Only partially. A correlation of 0.55 means AAPL and QQQ share most of their swings. Pairing them dampens volatility somewhat, but it will not protect against a common drawdown.
FAQ
What is the correlation between AAPL and QQQ?
The AAPL/QQQ correlation stands at 0.55 on a 3-year window (1 year: 0.29, 5 years: 0.68), computed from weekly returns as of 2026-08-27.
Is QQQ a good diversifier for AAPL?
Only partially. A correlation of 0.55 means AAPL and QQQ share most of their swings. Pairing them dampens volatility somewhat, but it will not protect against a common drawdown.
What does a correlation of 0.55 mean?
Correlation ranges from −1 to +1. Values near +1 mean two assets move together, near 0 that they move independently, and negative values that they tend to move in opposite directions. It measures co-movement, not performance.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/aapl-vs-qqq.json
Embed this badge (it refreshes with the data), with attribution:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/aapl-vs-qqq/)
No key needed, free to use. Full endpoint list in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: AAPL correlations · QQQ correlations
