Returns
| Series | 1 week | 1 month | 3 months | 6 months | YTD | 1 year | 3 years (ann.) | 5 years (ann.) | 10 years (ann.) | Since inception (ann.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market-price return | -0.47% | 0.00% | +3.28% | +7.93% | +6.71% | +9.04% | +11.70% | +0.04% | +2.62% | -0.82% |
| Market-price total return | -0.47% | +2.19% | +5.54% | +12.77% | +14.03% | +18.90% | +21.78% | +11.80% | +13.70% | +10.05% |
| NAV return | -0.05% | +0.77% | +2.77% | +8.26% | +7.62% | +11.51% | +13.21% | +1.28% | +2.44% | -0.33% |
| NAV total return | -0.05% | +2.85% | +4.89% | +12.78% | +14.49% | +20.89% | +23.12% | +13.27% | +13.33% | +10.09% |
Performance through Oct 14, 2026. Price and NAV returns are simple changes; total returns reinvest each distribution at the series value on its ex-date (first observation on/after). Periods of one year or less are cumulative; longer periods are annualised. Series are built from unadjusted prices plus the distribution record so no distribution is counted twice. Corporate actions: the vendor price series is split-adjusted; rights offerings and mergers are not restated — check Corporate Actions.
Growth of $10,000, five years
Risk statistics
| Statistic | Market price | NAV | Specification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility, 1 year | 0.14% | 0.12% | annualised SD of daily total returns, √252 |
| Volatility, 3 years | 0.16% | 0.15% | as above |
| Volatility, 5 years | 0.23% | 0.17% | as above |
| Maximum drawdown, 3 years | -19.03% | -18.74% | peak-to-trough on the total-return index |
| Sharpe ratio, 3 years | 1.00 | 1.24 | excess over FRED DGS3MO (window average) (avg 4.52%), annualised |
| Sortino ratio, 3 years | 1.49 | 1.86 | downside deviation of excess returns |
| Beta vs. benchmark proxy, 3 years | 0.82 | — | SPY (U.S. equity ETF proxy), daily, aligned dates |
| Correlation, 3 years | 0.79 | — | as above |
| Observations (3y) | 751 | — | minimum 60; rankings require 500 |
Market-price and NAV volatility are different quantities and are never mixed. NAV volatility for funds holding stale-marked or illiquid assets can understate economic risk.
CEF Explorer research page for Nuveen Core Equity Alpha Fund. Figures carry their own dates and sources; a discount to NAV does not guarantee convergence or any return. This is not investment advice.