TSP Gains in August

The Thrift Savings Plan continued its momentum in August, with all but one of its funds in the black.

International stocks dropped 0.14 percent in August, after gaining 5.29 percent in July. The I Fund has increased 16.80 percent in the last 12 months.

The C and S funds had the best August. The C Fund, invested in common stocks, rose 4.01 percent last month, while the S Fund -- which is invested in small and midsize companies and tracks the Dow Jones Wilshire 4500 Index – gained 4.98 percent in August. The C Fund has increased 25.34 percent during the last 12 months, while the S Fund rose 22.61 percent in that time.

TSP’s fixed income (F) fund picked up a bit in August after a slow July, gaining 1.12 percent last month. The F Fund has increased 6.35 percent in the last 12 months.

The plan’s investments in government securities also had small gains. The G Fund rose 0.20 percent for the month, and 2.33 percent in the last year.

The lifecycle funds, designed to move investors to less risky portfolios as they near retirement, maintained their growth in August. L Income -- for TSP participants who have already started withdrawing money -- inched up 0.84 percent; L 2020 increased 1.64 percent; L 2030 rose 2.07 percent; L 2040 gained 2.40 percent; and L 2050 increased 2.61 percent.

Lifecycle investments all have yielded positive returns for the past 12 months, with L Income gaining 6.48 percent, L 2020 up 12.82 percent, L 2030 increasing 15.73 percent, L 2040 rising 17.82 percent and L 2050 jumping 19.75 percent.

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