Equal Weight vs Cap Weight
WeightingBuy and hold RSP (S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF) versus SPY (cap-weighted S&P 500). No rebalancing beyond what each ETF does internally.
See this in the terminal — live earnings bands, fair value and rates.
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"Equal weight is more diversified, so it's safer and better." Half of that is true.
The rule. Buy and hold RSP (S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF) versus SPY (cap-weighted S&P 500). No rebalancing beyond what each ETF does internally.
What actually happened.
- $10,000 became $64,061. The same $10,000 in S&P 500 (SPY) became $84,528. This strategy trailed the benchmark by $20,468.
- Compounded at 13.2% a year vs 15.3% for the benchmark.
- Best year: 2013 (+36%). Worst year: 2022 (-12%). This is not a smooth ride.
The catch. At its worst, this strategy fell -39% from a prior peak — deeper than the benchmark's -34%. Would you have held through that? Most people don't. That's the whole game.
The takeaway. The lesson isn't "this idea is stupid." It's that the simple, boring benchmark is harder to beat than the pitch decks admit. Before you try to be clever, respect the index.
Drawdown from prior peak
Calendar-year returns
| Line | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equal weight (RSP) | +7% | +17% | +36% | +14% | -3% | +14% | +19% | -8% | +29% | +13% | +29% | -12% | +14% | +13% | +11% | +15% |
| S&P 500 (SPY) | +8% | +16% | +32% | +13% | +1% | +12% | +22% | -5% | +31% | +18% | +29% | -18% | +26% | +25% | +18% | +13% |
Rebalance: none (buy and hold each ETF) · Window: 2011-09-02 → 2026-09-02 · Last run Sep 2, 2026 · JSON