The short version

Every TSP fund finished Monday higher, but the gains were uneven. The I Fund was the standout at +1.40%, the only fund to clear 1% on the day. The C Fund added 0.48%, the S Fund rose 0.68%, and the F and G funds barely budged.

One caution on the numbers. The TSP figures are for Monday's close, while the index and ETF figures below are labeled as the prior session's close. Comparisons between the two are close but not exact.

How the TSP funds lined up

C Fund (S&P 500): Up 0.48% to $111.5368. The S&P 500 gained 0.47% in the prior session, so the fund and its benchmark moved almost in step, as they should. The C Fund is down 0.15% over five days but up 1.63% for the year.

S Fund (Dow Jones U.S. Completion): Up 0.68% to $105.4783. This fund holds mid-size and smaller U.S. companies, everything outside the S&P 500. It is not the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which rose just 0.04%. The Nasdaq Composite's 0.90% gain is a better hint of the mood, since growth-leaning names were firmer. The S Fund is up 1.93% over five days and 3.75% year to date.

I Fund (MSCI ACWI ex-US ex-China): Up 1.40% to $60.4688, the day's spike. Vanguard's Total International ETF (VXUS) rose 1.36%, a close cousin, so foreign stocks broadly moved together. The I Fund has gained 2.76% over five days and 7.92% this year, the best year-to-date showing of the individual funds.

F Fund (Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate): Up 0.05% to $20.9944. The 10-year Treasury yield slipped 0.19% to 4.198, which tends to help bond prices a little. BND, the broad bond ETF, rose 0.03%.

G Fund (Treasury rate): Up 0.04% to $19.6802. It pays a Treasury-based rate and does not swing with markets, so it ticks up quietly.

The L Funds

L Funds blend the five core funds, so they land between the steadiest and most volatile pieces. L Income, the most conservative mix, rose 0.26%. The 2030 fund gained 0.49%, and the 2040 fund gained 0.61%. The 2055 through 2075 funds all rose 0.82%, with year-to-date gains of 4.05%.

The pattern is simple. Longer-dated funds hold more stock, including the I and S funds that led Monday, so they gained more. Shorter-dated funds hold more F and G, which barely moved.

What moved IRA index funds and ETFs

Most IRA portfolios lean on a few broad funds, and Monday's numbers show the same split.

  • VTI (total U.S. stock market): +0.49%, to $342.64
  • VXUS (total international): +1.36%, to $82.15
  • BND (total U.S. bond): +0.03%, to $74.25

The S&P 500 closed at 6,964.82, the Nasdaq at 23,238.67 and the Dow at 50,135.871. The data here doesn't say why stocks rose, so I won't guess at a headline. What it does show is that international stocks outran U.S. stocks, and the Nasdaq outran the Dow.

What it means for your plan

A day like this is a data point, not a signal. A 1.40% jump in the I Fund is notable, but it follows a 2.76% gain over five days, and these things can reverse as easily as they arrive. The C Fund's slightly negative five-day return alongside a solid Monday is a good reminder of how choppy short stretches are.

If you hold a diversified mix, such as an L Fund or a few broad index funds, Monday probably nudged your balance up a bit. That's all. For retirement money meant to last years or decades, one session rarely matters. This recap is general information, not personal advice, so check your own goals, timeline and risk comfort before changing anything.