The short version

Stocks had a good Wednesday, and international shares led. The I Fund gained 2.11%, the only TSP core fund to clear 1% on its own. The C Fund rose 0.72% and the S Fund rose 0.66%. The bond-style funds barely moved.

How the TSP funds did

C Fund closed at $105.5194, up 0.72%. It tracks the S&P 500, which also rose 0.72%, so the match is exact. The fund is still down 3.85% for the year and 0.23% over five days.

S Fund closed at $99.8332, up 0.66%. It follows the Dow Jones U.S. Completion index, which covers mid and small companies outside the S&P 500. It has lagged over five days, down 0.56%, and is down 1.8% year to date.

I Fund closed at $57.7086, up 2.11%. Its benchmark is the MSCI ACWI ex-US ex-China index. That is a big one-day gain and the standout of the session. The fund is up 1.16% over five days and 3.0% for the year, the best year-to-date result among the core funds.

F Fund ($20.8929) rose 0.01% and G Fund ($19.7939) rose 0.01%. The F Fund follows the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate bond index. The G Fund pays a Treasury-based rate and does not swing with markets. Year to date, the F Fund is up 0.16% and the G Fund is up 1.03%.

The L Funds

The L Funds blend the five core funds, so their results follow how much stock each one holds. Funds with later dates hold more stock and moved more.

  • L Income: +0.35%
  • L 2030: +0.68%
  • L 2040: +0.87%
  • L 2050: +0.99%
  • L 2055 through L 2075: +1.19% each

The 2055 through 2075 funds crossed the 1% line, helped by the I Fund's jump. They are down 1.16% for the year, while L Income is up 0.43%.

What moved IRA index funds and ETFs

The figures below are labeled as the prior session close.

The S&P 500 rose 0.72% to 6575.32, the Dow gained 0.48% to 46565.738, and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.16% to 21840.949. That tech-heavy gain is the other number above 1%.

The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) rose 0.76% to $323.24. The Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) rose 1.17% to $78.01, in line with the strong international showing in the I Fund.

Bonds went the other way. The Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) fell 0.30% to $73.42, while the 10-year Treasury yield ticked up 0.19% to 4.319. Bond prices and yields move in opposite directions, so BND's dip fits. The TSP's F Fund was flat instead of down, a small gap that can come from differences in index and timing.

What it means for your plan

One good day does not change much. Even with the I Fund's 2.11% pop, the C Fund is still down 3.85% this year, and the five-day numbers for the C and S Funds are slightly negative. Strong days and weak days both show up in any long-term plan.

If you invest on a regular schedule, whether through payroll contributions or IRA deposits, the plan is built to absorb days like this one. Checking balances daily rarely helps. Checking whether your overall mix still fits your timeline now and then is usually enough.

This recap is general information, not personal advice.