SLF vs SPY: Correlation
Sun Life Financial Inc. (SLF) and SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) show a moderate relationship: their 3-year correlation of weekly returns is 0.40.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are SLF and SPY?
Over the past 3 years, SLF and SPY moved with a correlation of 0.40, which is moderate. The link has loosened recently: the 1-year correlation (0.23) runs below the 3-year figure (0.40). Over 5 years the correlation is 0.56, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is 107.7 %².
By 3-year correlation, SPY places #6 of the 12 assets tracked against SLF. The last year tells two different stories: SLF led by 19.4 percentage points, +40.0% for SLF against +20.6% for SPY.
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.
SLF vs SPY: side by side
| SLF (Sun Life Financial Inc.) | SPY (SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +40.0% | +20.6% |
| 5-year return | +84.1% | +82.4% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 18.6% | 14.5% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.52 | 1.00 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -14.9% | -18.8% |
| Market cap | $43.8B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 18.5 | – |
| Dividend yield | 4.66% | 1.01% |
| Expense ratio | – | 0.09% |
| Assets under management | – | $795.3B |
| Sector / category | US Listed | ETF · US Large Cap |
SPY is a Large Blend fund from State Street Investment Management: $795.3B under management, 504 holdings, a 0.09% expense ratio, a 1.01% trailing dividend yield.
Year-by-year returns
| Year | SLF | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -12.9% | -18.2% |
| 2023 | +16.9% | +26.2% |
| 2024 | +19.5% | +24.9% |
| 2025 | +7.3% | +17.7% |
| 2026 | +29.6% | +13.7% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are SLF and SPY good diversifiers for each other?
Reasonably. At 0.40, SLF and SPY keep a meaningful degree of independence, and combining them has historically reduced portfolio volatility.
FAQ
What is the correlation between SLF and SPY?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between SLF and SPY is 0.40 over 3 years, 0.23 over 1 year and 0.56 over 5 years.
Is SPY a good diversifier for SLF?
Reasonably. At 0.40, SLF and SPY keep a meaningful degree of independence, and combining them has historically reduced portfolio volatility.
What does a correlation of 0.40 mean?
A reading of 0.40 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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Related comparisons
Hubs: SLF correlations · SPY correlations
