Thursday's TSP close

Stock funds had a down day, bonds edged up, and the G Fund did what it always does. Two funds fell more than 1% in a single session: the S Fund and the C Fund.

Which TSP funds moved

S Fund: -1.62% ($98.5599). This was the biggest drop of the day. The S Fund follows the Dow Jones U.S. Completion index, which covers mid-sized and smaller U.S. companies. Its 5-day loss is -1.7%, and its year-to-date gain is 9.03%, the lowest of the five core funds except for G.

C Fund: -1.12% ($107.2768). The C Fund tracks the S&P 500, and the S&P 500 fell 1.12%. That is a match to the hundredth. The C Fund is down 1.48% over five days and up 15.69% for the year.

I Fund: -0.34% ($53.0336). International stocks slipped much less than U.S. stocks. The I Fund follows MSCI ACWI ex-US ex-China. Over five days it is down 1.17%, but its 26.48% year-to-date gain is still the best of any individual fund.

F Fund: +0.38% ($20.8145). The F Fund follows the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate bond index and rose along with bond prices. It is flat over five days (-0.02%) and up 6.84% this year.

G Fund: +0.01% ($19.4654). It earns a Treasury-based rate, so it barely moves. Five-day gain: 0.08%.

L Funds

The L Funds blend the five core funds, so their results line up with how much stock each one holds. L 2055, 2060, 2065, 2070 and 2075 all fell 0.90% on the day and 1.39% over five days. L 2050 fell 0.72%, L 2040 fell 0.63%, and L 2030 fell 0.51%. L Income, the most conservative mix, slipped just 0.22%. The pattern is simple: more stock, bigger drop. The extra bond and G Fund weight in the nearer-dated funds cushioned them.

What moved IRA index funds and ETFs

The index figures below are labeled as the prior session's close, but they line up with the C Fund's move, so they paint a consistent picture.

The Nasdaq Composite was the weakest major index, down 1.90% to 23,053.99. The S&P 500 lost 1.12% to 6,720.32, and the Dow lost 0.84% to 46,912.301. The Dow's smaller drop and the Nasdaq's larger one show the weakness was heaviest in the Nasdaq.

The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) fell 1.14% to $329.37, almost identical to the S&P 500. The Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) dropped 0.39% to $74.06, in line with the I Fund's decline.

The Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) gained 0.39% to $74.37. The 10-year Treasury yield came in at 4.093%, down 1.54% from the prior reading. Bond prices generally rise when yields fall, which fits both BND and the F Fund finishing higher. The data here does not say what drove the move, so I won't guess.

What it means for your plan

A 1% to 2% drop in stock funds is within the normal range of daily swings, and one session rarely changes a long-term plan. The funds that fell are still well ahead for the year: the I Fund is up 26.48%, the C Fund 15.69%, and even the S Fund 9.03%.

Thursday also showed why a mix of funds matters. Bonds and the G Fund held steady while stocks fell, and the L Funds with more fixed income lost the least. If your allocation fits your timeline and your comfort with swings, a day like this is not a reason to act. If a 1% drop made you uneasy, that is worth thinking about on a quiet weekend, not in the middle of a down day.

This recap is general information, not personal advice.