Here are some preliminary figures Fedsmith.com readers who invest in the TSP stock funds will find of interest. Please note that these are preliminary figures based on the underlying indices for the TSP funds. The actual results will be out in the next several days. The actual results will vary due to dividends that may have been paid or expenses paid by the TSP. Having said that, the preliminary figures will give you a rough idea of how your investments performed for you during April.
With the end of the intense fighting in Iraq and the economic indicators showing some positive signs, stocks started coming back to life in April. TSP investors who invest in stock funds available to them are going to be feeling a little extra spring in their step.
The common stock fund (C fund) will post a gain of about 8.1% for April. While the fund was up slightly last month (.97%), a return of about 8% for this fund will be the highest monthly return since last October when it provided investors with a positive 8.77%. After having gone down for 8 of the past 12 months, the 8% added to your investment will be a welcome change of pace.
The I fund also did very well last month. The underlying index is up about the same as the C fund for the month of April — 8.06%. This is one of the best returns for this fund since its inception in 2001 and exceeds the rate investors have received for any month in 2002 or so far in 2003..
And, for those of you with funds invested in the smaller companies (the S fund), your rate of return for April will also be about 8%. As with the I fund, this exceeds any monthly rate of return for the S fund for any month in 2002 or 2003 to date.
The official figures reflecting return rates will be released in the next several days and those figures will include any expenses or dividends that will modify your rate of return.
