MHF vs VXZ: Correlation
How closely do Western Asset Municipal High Income Fund, Inc. (MHF) 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 -0.33, which is negative.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are MHF and VXZ?
Over the past 3 years, MHF and VXZ moved with a correlation of -0.33, which is negative, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. Little has changed lately, as the 1-year reading of -0.43 lands near the 3-year figure. Over 5 years the correlation is -0.30, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is -103.9 %².
Among the 10 assets we track against MHF, VXZ sits near the bottom by co-movement, at rank #10. Correlation aside, the last 12 months split them widely, with MHF ahead by 21.7 points (+5.6% versus -16.1%). One caveat on sizing: VXZ is 2.1 times as volatile as the other leg, so an equal-dollar split is far from equal-risk.
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.
MHF vs VXZ: side by side
| MHF (Western Asset Municipal High Income Fund, Inc.) | VXZ (iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Mid-Term Futures ETN) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +5.6% | -16.1% |
| 5-year return | +6.2% | -53.1% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 12.2% | 25.6% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.32 | -1.31 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -13.3% | -36.4% |
| Market cap | $0.2B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 18.0 | – |
| Dividend yield | 5.93% | – |
| Sector / category | US Listed | US Listed |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | MHF | VXZ |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -17.6% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | +4.6% | -44.0% |
| 2024 | +12.0% | -12.7% |
| 2025 | +7.2% | +5.7% |
| 2026 | +3.3% | -10.5% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are MHF and VXZ good diversifiers for each other?
By historical standards, yes. A correlation of -0.33 means the two rarely move for the same reasons.
FAQ
What is the correlation between MHF and VXZ?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between MHF and VXZ is -0.33 over 3 years, -0.43 over 1 year and -0.30 over 5 years.
Is VXZ a good diversifier for MHF?
By historical standards, yes. A correlation of -0.33 means the two rarely move for the same reasons.
What does a correlation of -0.33 mean?
A reading of -0.33 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/mhf-vs-vxz.json
Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/mhf-vs-vxz/)
The core API is free. Terms and every endpoint in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: MHF correlations · VXZ correlations
