TSP’s C Fund rallies in August after four-month slump

The Thrift Savings Plan's C fund showed signs of life in August, posting positive returns for the first time since March, according to the latest numbers from the plan.

The C fund, which invests in common stocks, gained 0.67 percent in August, after falling 7.7 percent in July. The fund has dropped 17.98 percent over the past year.

The TSP's S Fund also rallied in August, growing 0.58 percent after tumbling 9.93 percent in July. The S fund, which invests in the stocks of small- and mid-sized companies, has fallen 13.11 percent over the past 12 months.

The I fund, which invests in international stocks, continued to falter in August, dipping 0.26 percent after posting negative returns in July and June. Since September 2001, the fund has declined 15.13 percent. The I fund debuted in May 2001 along with the S Fund.

The G fund, made up of government securities, and the F fund, which consists of fixed-income bonds, were steady last month. The G fund gained 0.40 percent in August, after increasing 0.43 percent in July, and the F fund rose 1.58 percent last month, after gaining 1.19 percent in July. The 12-month return for the G fund is 5.22 percent, while the F fund has gained 8.12 percent over the past year.

The monthly C, F, G, S and I Fund returns reflect net earnings on the amounts invested during the month.

For an index of the performance of the C, I and S funds that is updated each business day, see the "TSP Ticker" on the front page of GovExec.com.

August's rates of return appear below. The numbers in parentheses are negative.