MPC vs VXX: Correlation
How closely do Marathon Petroleum (MPC) and iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (VXX) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of -0.26, which is negative.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are MPC and VXX?
Over the past 3 years, MPC and VXX moved with a correlation of -0.26, which is negative, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. The past 12 months show a tighter link (0.25) than the 3-year average (-0.26). Over 5 years the correlation is -0.26, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is -541.2 %².
Among the 29 assets we track against MPC, VXX sits near the bottom by co-movement, at rank #28. Correlation aside, the last 12 months split them widely, with MPC ahead by 157.5 points (+107.8% versus -49.7%). Note the risk asymmetry: VXX runs 1.8 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.
MPC vs VXX: side by side
| MPC (Marathon Petroleum) | VXX (iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +107.8% | -49.7% |
| 5-year return | +589.6% | -95.6% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 34.2% | 60.9% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.48 | -3.31 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -44.7% | -83.3% |
| Market cap | $102.1B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 12.6 | – |
| Dividend yield | 1.10% | 0.00% |
| Sector / category | Energy | US Listed |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | MPC | VXX |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +86.6% | -23.8% |
| 2023 | +30.5% | -72.5% |
| 2024 | -4.1% | -26.2% |
| 2025 | +19.2% | -42.2% |
| 2026 | +126.1% | -31.6% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are MPC and VXX good diversifiers for each other?
Yes. With a correlation of -0.26, MPC and VXX have moved largely independently, which makes them a genuinely diversifying pair by historical standards.
FAQ
What is the correlation between MPC and VXX?
The MPC/VXX correlation stands at -0.26 on a 3-year window (1 year: 0.25, 5 years: -0.26), computed from weekly returns as of 2026-08-27.
Is VXX a good diversifier for MPC?
Yes. With a correlation of -0.26, MPC and VXX have moved largely independently, which makes them a genuinely diversifying pair by historical standards.
What does a correlation of -0.26 mean?
A reading of -0.26 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/mpc-vs-vxx.json
Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/mpc-vs-vxx/)
Free with attribution; caching and terms are described in the API documentation.
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Hubs: MPC correlations · VXX correlations