TSP funds have strong February showing

The Thrift Savings Plan funds saw another growth spurt in February, according to the latest numbers from the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board.

The I Fund grew the most last month, increasing by 2.22 percent. The I Fund, which invests in international stocks, has grown by nearly 53 percent in the past 12 months.

The S Fund, which invests in the stocks of small and mid-size companies, gained 1.78 percent in February 2004. The S Fund has grown by more than 58 percent since March 2003.

The C Fund grew by 1.35 percent during the past month. The C Fund invests in common stock and has gained more than 38 percent in the past year.

The F Fund was up 1.09 percent last month and has increased by nearly 5 percent during the past 12 months. The F Fund is made up of fixed-income bonds.

The G Fund, which consists of government securities, gained 0.39 percent in February 2004. The fund rose more than 4 percent during the past year. The monthly I, S, C, F and G fund returns reflect net earnings on the changing balances invested during the month.

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

February's rates of return appear below. Numbers in parentheses are negative.