BY Amelia Gruber Managing Editor
The funds in the federal employee 401(k)-style retirement savings programme 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 per cent in March, boasting the best performance for the month. They were still down 4.59 per cent 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 per cent. They were down 9.24 per cent for the year-to-date. The government securities (G) fund was also positive last month, with growth of 0.17 per cent. It was the only fund that was up since January, at 0.44 per cent.
The international stocks in the I Fund lost 0.33 per cent last month and were down 6.77 per cent for the year so far, and the fixed income bonds in the F Fund lost 2.73 per cent in March and were 5.79 per cent 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%.
