TSP funds at the close

Stocks had a strong Thursday, and every TSP fund finished higher. The bond and Treasury funds barely moved, while the stock funds did the heavy lifting.

The I Fund led at $63.6309, up 2.89%. The C Fund rose 1.66% to $119.7571, and the S Fund gained 1.40% to $114.4461. The F Fund added 0.06% to $20.8240, and the G Fund, which simply tracks a Treasury rate, edged up 0.01% to $20.0889.

Why the funds line up with their benchmarks

The C Fund's 1.66% gain matches the S&P 500's 1.66% exactly, which is what you'd expect from a fund built to copy that index. The I Fund's 2.89% matches the move in the Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS), a close cousin that holds overseas stocks. The S Fund tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Completion index, which covers mid-sized and smaller companies outside the S&P 500. It rose 1.40%, a bit less than the large-company C Fund.

The F Fund follows the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate bond index, and its 0.06% gain mirrors the Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) at 0.06%. The G Fund does not fluctuate with the market, so a tiny gain is normal.

Moves over 1%

Four funds crossed the 1% line, and then some:

  • I Fund: +2.89%
  • C Fund: +1.66%
  • S Fund: +1.40%
  • L Funds 2030 through 2075: +1.11% to +2.04%

The five-day numbers add context. The I Fund is up only 0.79% over five days, the C Fund 0.41% and the S Fund 0.12%. A big one-day gain on top of a small weekly gain means the earlier part of the week was weaker. Thursday recovered much of that ground.

L Funds

The L Funds blend the five core funds, so their results depend on how much stock each one holds. The 2055 through 2075 funds, which are the most stock-heavy, all rose 2.04%. The 2050 fund gained 1.69%, the 2040 fund 1.48%, and the 2030 fund 1.11%. L Income, with the most bonds and G Fund money, rose 0.58%. Year to date, the long-dated funds are up about 11.1%, while L Income is up 4.84%.

What moved IRA index funds and ETFs

The same strength showed up across the funds that drive most IRAs. The S&P 500 rose 1.66% to 7437.63. The Dow gained 1.19% to 52,208.06, and the Nasdaq Composite jumped 2.78% to 25,122.18. The Nasdaq's lead over the Dow points to technology-heavy stocks doing better than the older industrial names. The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) rose 1.62% to $366.27, and VXUS rose 2.89% to $84.77.

Bonds were quiet. BND gained 0.06% to $72.42. The 10-year Treasury yield rose 0.89% to 4.663%, roughly four basis points. Higher yields usually press on bond prices, but the move was small enough that bond funds still finished slightly ahead.

What it means for your plan

A day like this feels good, but it is one data point. The same funds can give back a gain just as fast, and the five-day figures show how choppy the week has been. Long-term plans are built over years of contributions and market cycles, and a single session rarely changes the picture. Check that your mix still fits your timeline and comfort with risk, and don't read too much into one day's headlines.

This recap is general information, not personal advice.