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BUSE vs QQQ: Correlation

First Busey Corporation (BUSE) and Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) show a weak relationship: their 3-year correlation of weekly returns is 0.28.

Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology

Correlation (3Y)
0.28
weak
Correlation (1Y)
-0.01
last 12 months
Correlation (5Y)
0.26
long-run
Ann. covariance
146.9
%² · weekly, annualized

How correlated are BUSE and QQQ?

Across a 3-year window, the weekly returns of BUSE and QQQ correlate at 0.28, weak. The past 12 months show a weaker link (-0.01) than the 3-year average (0.28). Stretching to 5 years gives 0.26, with an annualized covariance of 146.9 %².

Among the 38 assets we track against BUSE, QQQ sits near the bottom by co-movement, at rank #35. Twelve-month performance is nearly a tie, at +27.5% for BUSE and +26.3% for QQQ.

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.

BUSE vs QQQ: side by side

BUSE (First Busey Corporation)QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust)
1-year return+27.5%+26.3%
5-year return+56.7%+95.4%
Volatility (ann.)26.7%19.6%
Beta vs S&P 5000.791.28
Max drawdown (3Y)-31.0%-22.8%
Market cap$2.5B
P/E (trailing)12.3
Dividend yield3.39%0.44%
Expense ratio0.18%
Assets under management$452.8B
Sector / categoryUS ListedETF · US Growth & Tech
Higher yield: BUSE 3.39% vs 0.44%Smaller drawdown: QQQ -22.8% vs -31.0%Higher 5y return: QQQ +95.4% vs +56.7%

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.

-9%0%+32%2025-09-052026-08-27
Twelve months of weekly closes, each series rebased to 100. BUSE · QQQ

Year-by-year returns

YearBUSEQQQ
2022-5.5%-32.6%
2023+5.1%+54.9%
2024-1.2%+25.6%
2025+5.5%+20.8%
2026+30.7%+17.7%

Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.

Are BUSE and QQQ good diversifiers for each other?

Yes, to a useful degree: a correlation of 0.28 leaves real independence between the two, which historically damped combined volatility.

FAQ

What is the correlation between BUSE and QQQ?

As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between BUSE and QQQ is 0.28 over 3 years, -0.01 over 1 year and 0.26 over 5 years.

Is QQQ a good diversifier for BUSE?

Yes, to a useful degree: a correlation of 0.28 leaves real independence between the two, which historically damped combined volatility.

What does a correlation of 0.28 mean?

A reading of 0.28 sits on a scale from −1 (opposite moves) through 0 (unrelated) to +1 (identical moves). Correlation captures direction, not magnitude or performance.

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BUSE vs QQQ: 3-year weekly correlation 0.28BUSE vs QQQ0.28

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Hubs: BUSE correlations · QQQ correlations