BCS vs VXX: Correlation
Measured on weekly returns over the past three years, Barclays PLC (BCS) and iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (VXX) carry a correlation of -0.64, a negative link.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are BCS and VXX?
On 3 years of weekly data the BCS/VXX correlation comes out at -0.64, negative, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. The relationship has been stable: the 1-year correlation (-0.72) sits close to the 3-year figure. The 5-year figure is -0.56, and annualized covariance runs at -1196.4 %².
Out of 15 assets tracked against BCS, VXX lands near the bottom at #15. Their recent paths diverged sharply: over the last 12 months BCS outperformed by 86.3 percentage points (+36.6% for BCS against -49.7% for VXX). Risk is not evenly split, since VXX carries 2.0 times the volatility of the other side.
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.
BCS vs VXX: side by side
| BCS (Barclays PLC) | VXX (iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +36.6% | -49.7% |
| 5-year return | +214.7% | -95.6% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 30.9% | 60.9% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.27 | -3.31 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -26.2% | -83.3% |
| Market cap | $90.3B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 10.3 | – |
| Dividend yield | 0.42% | 0.00% |
| Sector / category | US Listed | US Listed |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | BCS | VXX |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -21.9% | -23.8% |
| 2023 | +6.0% | -72.5% |
| 2024 | +76.3% | -26.2% |
| 2025 | +96.5% | -42.2% |
| 2026 | +8.0% | -31.6% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are BCS and VXX good diversifiers for each other?
Yes. With a correlation of -0.64, BCS and VXX have moved largely independently, which makes them a genuinely diversifying pair by historical standards.
FAQ
What is the correlation between BCS and VXX?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between BCS and VXX is -0.64 over 3 years, -0.72 over 1 year and -0.56 over 5 years.
Is VXX a good diversifier for BCS?
Yes. With a correlation of -0.64, BCS and VXX have moved largely independently, which makes them a genuinely diversifying pair by historical standards.
What does a correlation of -0.64 mean?
A reading of -0.64 sits on a scale from −1 (opposite moves) through 0 (unrelated) to +1 (identical moves). Correlation captures direction, not magnitude or performance.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/bcs-vs-vxx.json
Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/bcs-vs-vxx/)
Free with attribution; caching and terms are described in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: BCS correlations · VXX correlations
