C vs QQQ: Correlation
Citigroup (C) and Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) show a moderate relationship: their 3-year correlation of weekly returns is 0.56.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are C and QQQ?
Over the past 3 years, C and QQQ moved with a correlation of 0.56, which is moderate. The link has loosened recently: the 1-year correlation (0.44) runs below the 3-year figure (0.56). Over 5 years the correlation is 0.50, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is 330.9 %².
Within C's tracked universe of 33 assets, QQQ comes in at #21 by 3-year correlation. The trailing year gives C the advantage: +39.9% versus +26.3%, a 13.6-point spread. Do not treat this figure as fixed: across three years the rolling one-year correlation ranged all the way from 0.21 to 0.78. Note the risk asymmetry: C runs 1.5 times the annualized volatility of the other leg, so equal-weighting the two is not an equal-risk position.
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.
C vs QQQ: side by side
| C (Citigroup) | QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +39.9% | +26.3% |
| 5-year return | +119.6% | +95.4% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 30.3% | 19.6% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.39 | 1.28 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -31.3% | -22.8% |
| Market cap | $222.6B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 14.4 | – |
| Dividend yield | 1.80% | 0.44% |
| Expense ratio | – | 0.18% |
| Assets under management | – | $452.8B |
| Sector / category | Financials | 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 | C | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -22.1% | -32.6% |
| 2023 | +19.0% | +54.9% |
| 2024 | +41.9% | +25.6% |
| 2025 | +70.4% | +20.8% |
| 2026 | +15.4% | +17.7% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are C and QQQ good diversifiers for each other?
Somewhat, no more. With 0.56 correlation, most large moves hit both names, and the diversification benefit stays modest.
FAQ
What is the correlation between C and QQQ?
The C/QQQ correlation stands at 0.56 on a 3-year window (1 year: 0.44, 5 years: 0.50), computed from weekly returns as of 2026-08-27.
Is QQQ a good diversifier for C?
Somewhat, no more. With 0.56 correlation, most large moves hit both names, and the diversification benefit stays modest.
What does a correlation of 0.56 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/c-vs-qqq.json
Embed this badge (it refreshes with the data), with attribution:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/c-vs-qqq/)
No key needed, free to use. Full endpoint list in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: C correlations · QQQ correlations
