Comparing Against Benchmarks

Benchmarks help you understand whether your portfolio is keeping up with the broader market.

Go to Portfolio, then Allocations, and scroll to the Benchmark section at the bottom of the page.

Choosing what to compare

Two choices, side by side.

What to measure. Your whole portfolio, one account type (your TFSA against your RRSP), or a single account.

What to measure it against:

• S&P 500, the 500 largest US companies
• S&P/TSX Composite, the Canadian market
• NASDAQ, tech-heavy US
• Dow Jones, 30 large US companies
• XEQT, an all-equity Canadian-listed ETF
• Vanguard Total World ETF, global stocks in one line

Your return appears alongside the benchmark’s for the same period, so you can see whether you’re ahead, behind, or roughly in line.

A benchmark isn’t a grade

It’s a reference point. An RRSP full of bonds shouldn’t be measured against the S&P 500 and then judged for losing.

Use the one that matches what your portfolio is actually trying to do. Mostly Canadian stocks? The TSX Composite is the honest comparison. Spread across everything? XEQT or Total World is closer to what you’re doing than any single-country index.

Benchmark comparison is part of the paid plans. If the section is showing you a preview rather than your numbers, that’s why.

Still need help? Reach out at support@usegreenline.com.