JCE vs VXZ: Correlation
How closely do Nuveen Core Equity Alpha Fund (JCE) and iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Mid-Term Futures ETN (VXZ) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of -0.67, which is negative.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are JCE and VXZ?
Over the past 3 years, JCE and VXZ moved with a correlation of -0.67, which is negative, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. Recent behaviour matches the longer record: -0.68 over 1 year against -0.67 over 3. Over 5 years the correlation is -0.40, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is -267.3 %².
Among the 17 assets we track against JCE, VXZ sits near the bottom by co-movement, at rank #15. Their recent paths diverged sharply: over the last 12 months JCE outperformed by 34.2 percentage points (+18.1% for JCE against -16.1% for VXZ). Risk is not evenly split, since VXZ carries 1.6 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.
JCE vs VXZ: side by side
| JCE (Nuveen Core Equity Alpha Fund) | VXZ (iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Mid-Term Futures ETN) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +18.1% | -16.1% |
| 5-year return | +72.6% | -53.1% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 15.7% | 25.6% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.91 | -1.31 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -19.0% | -36.4% |
| Market cap | – | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 6.3 | – |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | – |
| Sector / category | US Listed | US Listed |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | JCE | VXZ |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -14.3% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | +10.7% | -44.0% |
| 2024 | +27.9% | -12.7% |
| 2025 | +9.1% | +5.7% |
| 2026 | +11.6% | -10.5% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are JCE and VXZ good diversifiers for each other?
By historical standards, yes. A correlation of -0.67 means the two rarely move for the same reasons.
FAQ
What is the correlation between JCE and VXZ?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between JCE and VXZ is -0.67 over 3 years, -0.68 over 1 year and -0.40 over 5 years.
Is VXZ a good diversifier for JCE?
By historical standards, yes. A correlation of -0.67 means the two rarely move for the same reasons.
What does a correlation of -0.67 mean?
A reading of -0.67 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/jce-vs-vxz.json
Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/jce-vs-vxz/)
The core API is free. Terms and every endpoint in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: JCE correlations · VXZ correlations
