TSP’s May numbers not quite in full bloom

The Thrift Savings Plan's C and S funds lost some of their value in May, while the G, F and I funds continued to grow.

The C fund, which invests in common stocks, faltered slightly in May, falling by 0.75 percent after a 6.06 percent drop in April. The fund has declined by 13.95 percent since June 2001.

The S fund, which invests in the stocks of small- and mid-sized companies, dropped by 2.39 percent in May, following a 1.06 percent fall in April. The fund, which debuted in May 2001, has lost 5.12 percent of its value over the last 12 months.

The G fund, made up of government securities, gained 0.45 percent in May. Its 12-month return rose to 5.36 percent.

The F fund, which consists of fixed-income bonds, gained 0.88 percent in May, after increasing by 1.89 percent in April. The F fund has gained 8.19 percent in the past year.

The I fund, which is invested in international stocks, increased 1.29 percent in May, following a 0.25 percent rise in April. Despite its rebound, the I fund has posted negative returns in its first full year in the Thrift Savings Plan, dropping 9.67 percent over the past year. The I fund debuted in May 2001 along with the S Fund.

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.

May's rates of return are listed below. The numbers in parentheses are negative.