Some Federal Employee Retirement Funds Made Up a Little Ground in March

The funds in the federal employee 401(k)-style retirement savings program had a mixed performance in March, with three of the five basic offerings ending the month in the black. This follows two months in which most of the funds in the Thrift Savings Plan lost ground. 

The common stocks of the C Fund grew 3.72% in March, boasting the best performance for the month. They were still down 4.59% for the year-to-date, however. 

The small- and mid-sized companies in the S Fund also gained a little ground in March, ending the month up 0.9%. They were down 9.24% for the year-to-date. The government securities (G) fund was also positive last month, with growth of 0.17%. It was the only fund that was up since January, at 0.44%. 

The international stocks in the I Fund lost 0.33% last month and were down 6.77% for the year so far, and the fixed income bonds in the F Fund lost 2.73% in March and were 5.79% in the red since January. 

The lifecycle funds, which shift to a more stable portfolio as participants near retirement, all had at least small positive returns for March. L Income, for those who have already begun making withdrawals, was up 0.49%; L 2025, 0.85%; L 2030, 1.14%; L 2035, 1.21%; L 2040, 1.29%; L 2045, 1.34%; L 2050 1.42%; L 2055, 1.88%; L 2060, 1.88%; and L 2065, 1.87%. 

The lifecycle funds were all in the red for the year-to-date, however. L Income was down 1.3%; L 2025, 2.54%; L 2030, 3.65%; L 2035, 4.08%; L 2040, 4.49%; L 2045, 4.86%; L 2050, 5.19%; L 2055, 5.93%; L 2060, 5.93%; and L 2065, 5.94%.