TSP funds at the close

Thursday was a broad up day for stock-based TSP funds. The three equity funds all gained more than 1%, bonds edged up, and the G Fund did what it always does.

  • C Fund: $124.9005, up 1.06%. Five-day, +0.24%. Year to date, +13.81%.
  • S Fund: $117.0399, up 1.27%. Five-day, -1.34%. Year to date, +15.12%.
  • I Fund: $66.5268, up 1.17%. Five-day, +0.1%. Year to date, +18.74%.
  • F Fund: $20.8341, up 0.13%. Five-day, -0.49%. Year to date, -0.13%.
  • G Fund: $20.1828, up 0.01%. Five-day, +0.09%. Year to date, +3.01%.

Why the funds moved as they did

The C Fund tracks the S&P 500, and the two matched almost exactly: both rose 1.06%. That is how an index fund should behave.

The S Fund follows the Dow Jones U.S. Completion index, which covers American companies outside the S&P 500. It led the day at +1.27%. Note the five-day figure, though. Even with Thursday's jump, the S Fund is down 1.34% over the past week, the weakest stretch of any fund here. A strong day has not erased that yet.

The I Fund tracks MSCI ACWI ex-US ex-China and gained 1.17%. It remains the year-to-date leader at +18.74%.

The F Fund follows the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate bond index. It rose 0.13%, in line with the Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND), up 0.14%. The 10-year Treasury yield fell 0.71% to 4.762%, and bond prices move opposite to yields, so that fits. The G Fund earns a Treasury-based rate and does not swing with markets, so +0.01% is normal.

Notable moves

Four moves topped 1%: the S Fund (+1.27%), the I Fund (+1.17%), the C Fund (+1.06%), and the long-dated L Funds (L 2055 through L 2075, each +1.12%). No fund fell on the day.

L Funds

L Funds are blends of the five core funds, so their gains follow how much stock each one holds. L 2030 rose 0.62%, L 2040 gained 0.82%, and L 2050 added 0.93%. The longest-dated funds, L 2055 through L 2075, gained 1.12%, reflecting heavier stock exposure. L Income, the most conservative mix, rose 0.33%. Five-day changes for the dated funds are essentially flat, between -0.03% and +0.01%.

What moved IRA index funds and ETFs

The index and ETF figures supplied are labeled as the prior session close, and they line up closely with the TSP moves. The S&P 500 rose 1.06% to 7,747.71. The Dow gained 1.18% to 53,686.11. The Nasdaq Composite led the major indexes at +1.40%, closing at 26,584.06.

Among the funds many IRAs hold, the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) rose 1.07% to $380.93. The Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) gained 0.93% to $87.97, a bit less than the TSP's I Fund, which uses a different benchmark. BND added 0.14% to $71.93. The pattern was stocks up solidly, with growth-heavy names slightly ahead, and bonds up a little as yields eased.

What it means for your plan

One good day is a data point, not a trend. The S Fund's weekly decline is a reminder that a +1.27% day can sit inside a rough week. If you are investing for retirement over many years, a single session like this rarely changes the outcome. What matters more is your overall mix, your contributions, and how long you stay invested. This recap is general information, not personal advice, so check your own goals, time horizon and risk tolerance before changing anything.