TSP Funds at the Close, Wednesday, Dec. 3

Every TSP fund finished higher on Wednesday. The standout was the S Fund, which gained 1.39% to $101.5497. That is the only move over 1% on the board, and it stands apart from everything else.

The S Fund tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Completion index, which covers the U.S. companies outside the S&P 500. A jump like that means mid-sized and smaller companies did the heavy lifting. Over five days the S Fund is up 2.09%, but its year-to-date gain of 12.34% still trails the other stock funds.

The Other Core Funds

The C Fund rose 0.30% to $109.4778, in line with its S&P 500 benchmark. It is up 1.26% over five days and 18.07% for the year.

The I Fund added 0.48% to $53.9920. It follows the MSCI ACWI ex-US ex-China index, and it leads the group this year at 28.76%. Its five-day gain is 1.97%.

The F Fund gained 0.14% to $20.9030. It tracks the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate bond index, and bonds tend to rise when yields fall. The 10-year Treasury yield slipped to 4.057%, down 0.71% on the day, which fits. The F Fund is still down 0.17% over five days, though it is up 7.3% for 2025.

The G Fund edged up 0.01% to $19.5253. It follows a Treasury rate and does not swing with the market, so small, steady gains are normal. Its year-to-date return is 4.09%.

L Funds

The L Funds blend the five core funds, so their daily results depend on how much sits in stocks. The L 2055 through L 2075 funds, which hold the most stock exposure, each rose 0.50%. The L 2050 gained 0.42%, the L 2040 rose 0.37%, and the L 2030 rose 0.31%. L Income, the most conservative mix, added 0.15%.

The L 2075 shows a 10.0% year-to-date figure, well below its neighbors at roughly 21%, so don't read it as a like-for-like comparison.

What Moved IRA Index Funds and ETFs

The index data below is from the prior session's close. The Dow Jones Industrial Average led at +0.86% to 47,882.90. The S&P 500 gained 0.30% to 6,849.72, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.17% to 23,454.09. The Dow outpacing the Nasdaq suggests the gains were not confined to big technology names.

The broad ETFs followed along. The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) rose 0.45% to $336.56. The Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) gained 0.40% to $75.07. The Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) added 0.15% to $74.43, helped by that dip in the 10-year yield.

What It Means for Your Plan

A day like this is pleasant, but it is one day. A 1.39% move in the S Fund is notable, yet it says little about where your account will be in ten or twenty years. Moves in either direction show up regularly, and a steady contribution schedule and a mix you chose on purpose matter far more than any single session.

If you hold an L Fund or a broad index fund, the mix is already doing its job. Check your allocation when your circumstances change, not when a headline or a good day tempts you. This recap is general information, not advice for your situation.