TSP funds at the close

Every TSP fund finished Wednesday higher, and the international and small-cap funds did the heavy lifting.

The I Fund gained 1.65% to $57.0449, the best day of the group. It tracks the MSCI ACWI ex-US ex-China index, so it moves with developed and emerging markets outside the U.S., minus China. It is also the only stock fund in positive territory for the year, up 1.81%, though it is down 0.33% over five days.

The S Fund rose 1.14% to $100.3958 and has added 1.41% over five days. It follows the Dow Jones U.S. Completion index, which is the U.S. market outside the S&P 500, so it leans toward mid-sized and smaller companies. That is a different group from the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The S Fund is still down 1.25% year to date.

The C Fund added 0.55% to $105.7672. It tracks the S&P 500, so a gain of about half a percent fits a broad large-company advance. It is down 0.48% over five days and 3.62% for the year, the weakest year-to-date figure of the core funds.

The F Fund gained 0.41% to $20.8641. It follows the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate bond index, and bonds tend to rise when yields fall. The G Fund nudged up 0.01% to $19.7787. It earns a Treasury-based rate and does not swing with markets, so a tiny gain is what you would expect.

Moves over 1%

Two funds cleared the 1% mark: the I Fund (+1.65%) and the S Fund (+1.14%). The L 2055, 2060, 2065, 2070 and 2075 funds each rose 1.00% on the nose, right at the line.

L Funds

The L Funds are blends of the five core funds, and the gain grew with the stock share. L Income, the most conservative mix, rose 0.31%. L 2030 gained 0.60%, L 2040 gained 0.75%, and L 2050 gained 0.85%. The longest-dated funds, 2055 through 2075, gained 1.00%. Their five-day readings are all slightly negative, between -0.18% and -0.01%, and the 2055 and later funds are down 1.37% for the year.

What moved IRA index funds and ETFs

The index and ETF numbers below are from the prior session close, so they are not a perfect match to the TSP's Wednesday figures. They still show a similar picture.

The S&P 500 closed at 6,591.9, up 0.54%. The Dow rose 0.66% to 46,429.49, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.77% to 21,929.82. Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) rose 0.61% to $325.15, in line with those indexes.

Overseas stocks did better. Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) jumped 1.49% to $77.08, which lines up with the I Fund's strong day.

On the bond side, the 10-year Treasury yield slipped 1.46% to 4.328%, a drop of roughly 6 basis points by my math. Lower yields lift bond prices, and Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) rose 0.38% to $73.54, close to the F Fund's 0.41%.

What it means for your plan

A day like this is pleasant, but it is one data point. The C Fund is still down 3.62% this year and the I Fund is up 1.81%, and a single session does not change that picture much. If you invest on a schedule through payroll deductions or regular IRA contributions, your plan was built for stretches like this one.

The spread between funds is a reminder of why mixes exist. International stocks led today, and large U.S. stocks lagged by comparison. Next week it could flip. Whether your allocation still fits your timeline is a question for your own review, or for a qualified adviser who knows your situation.

This is general information, not personal advice. One day rarely matters for a plan measured in decades.