Monday's TSP close

The stock-based TSP funds rose on Monday, with three of them gaining more than 1%. The G Fund barely moved, as usual.

The I Fund led at +1.33% to $57.5199. The C Fund added 1.02% to $107.4700, and the S Fund matched it at +1.02% to $99.4099. The F Fund gained 0.37% to $20.9443. The G Fund rose 0.03% to $19.7591.

Why the funds moved as they did

The C Fund tracks the S&P 500, and its 1.02% gain sits right beside the index's +1.01%. The S Fund follows the Dow Jones U.S. Completion index, which covers mid- and small-sized companies. It rose alongside the large caps, with the same 1.02% gain. The I Fund follows the MSCI ACWI ex-US ex-China index and posted the biggest move of the day. The F Fund follows the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate bond index and gained a modest 0.37%. The G Fund holds special-issue Treasury securities, so it just keeps accruing interest.

The L Funds

The L Funds blend the five core funds, so their gains line up with how much stock each one holds. L Income, the most conservative, rose 0.35%. L 2030 gained 0.68%, L 2040 gained 0.84%, and L 2050 gained 0.95%. L 2055 through L 2075 all rose 1.12%, which was above the 1% mark.

Spikes and drops worth noting

Over one day, the I Fund (+1.33%), the C and S Funds (+1.02% each), and the L 2055 through L 2075 Funds (+1.12%) cleared 1%.

The five-day view is less cheerful. The S Fund is down 2.05% and the C Fund is down 1.38%. L 2055 through L 2075 are down 1.27%, L 2050 is down 1.09%, and L 2045 is down 1.02%. So Monday's gain recovered only part of the previous week's slide.

For the year, the I Fund is ahead at +2.66%. The C Fund is at -2.07% and the S Fund at -2.22%. The G Fund is up 0.85%, and the F Fund is up 0.4%.

What moved IRA index funds and ETFs

These figures are from the prior session close. The S&P 500 gained 1.01% to 6699.38. The Dow rose 0.83% to 46946.41, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.22% to 22374.18. The Nasdaq's lead over the Dow means growth-heavy names did a bit more of the lifting.

The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) rose 1.02% to $329.46, in line with the broad U.S. market. The Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) did better, up 1.99% to $78.27. That's nearly double the U.S. gain, and it fits with the I Fund's strong showing.

On the bond side, the Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) gained 0.38% to $73.83. The 10-year Treasury yield slipped 1.52% to 4.22. Bond prices and yields move in opposite directions, so a lower yield is consistent with a small gain for bond funds.

What it means for your plan

One day is a small piece of a long timeline. A 1% gain doesn't undo a rough week, and a rough week doesn't wreck a plan built over decades. The five-day losses and Monday's rebound are both part of ordinary market movement.

If you hold a target-date L Fund or a broad index fund, your mix already spreads money across U.S. stocks, international stocks and bonds. That's why the numbers above looked different from fund to fund. Check your allocation against your own timeline and goals when your situation changes, not because of one session. This recap is general information, not personal advice.