The BEA Wire | BEA's Official Blog

U.S. Current-Account Deficit Decreases in First Quarter 2019

The U.S. current-account deficit decreased to $130.4 billion (preliminary) in the first quarter of 2019 from $143.9 billion (revised) in the fourth quarter of 2018. As a percentage of U.S. gross domestic product, the deficit decreased to 2.5 percent from 2.8 percent. The previously published current-account deficit for the fourth quarter was $134.4 billion.

BEA Joins the FSRDC Network: New Secure Locations Now Available for Researchers

For the first time, approved academics and other researchers will be able to access the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ confidential, company-specific trade and investment data from secure locations around the country, making it more convenient for them to do research.

April 2019 Trade Gap is $50.8 Billion

The U.S. monthly international trade deficit decreased in April 2019 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit decreased from $51.9 billion in March (revised) to $50.8 billion in April, as imports decreased more than exports. The previously published March deficit was $50.0 billion. The goods deficit decreased $1.0 billion in April to $71.7 billion. The services surplus increased $0.1 billion in…

Personal Income Rises In April

Personal income increased 0.5 percent in April after increasing 0.1 percent in March. Wages and salaries, the largest component of personal income, increased 0.3  percent in April after increasing 0.4 percent in March.

GDP Increases in First Quarter

Real gross domestic product increased 3.1 percent in the first quarter of 2019, according to the “second” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The growth rate was 0.1 percentage point lower than the “advance” estimate released in April. In the fourth quarter of 2018, real GDP rose 2.2 percent.

Check Out the Buying Power in Your Metro Area

Interested in comparing buying power in your metropolitan area to another? Then, you’ll want to look at the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ latest batch of regional price indexes.

Some highlights from BEA’s recent news release, featuring our 2017 Regional Price Parities:

Real Personal Income for Metropolitan Areas, 2017

The percent change in real metropolitan area personal income ranged from 14.8 percent in Midland, MI to -5.9 percent in Enid, OK.

Real Personal Income for States, 2017

The percent change in real state personal income ranged from 4.5 percent in New York to -1.3 percent in North Dakota.

March 2019 Trade Gap is $50.0 Billion

The U.S. monthly international trade deficit increased in March 2019 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit increased from $49.3 billion in February (revised) to $50.0 billion in March, as imports increased more than exports. The previously published February deficit was $49.4 billion. The goods deficit increased $0.5 billion in March to $72.4 billion. The services surplus decreased $0.2…

Gross Domestic Product by State, Fourth Quarter 2018

Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased in 49 states and the District of Columbia in the fourth quarter of 2018.  The percent change in real GDP in the fourth quarter ranged from 6.6 percent in Texas to 0.0 percent in Delaware. Wholesale trade, mining, and information services were the leading contributors to the increase in real GDP nationally. Mining and wholesale trade were the leading contributors to the increase in real GDP in Texas…

Real Consumer Spending Rises In March

Personal income increased 0.1 percent in March after increasing 0.2 percent in February. Wages and salaries, the largest component of personal income, increased 0.4 percent in March after increasing 0.3 percent in February.

GDP Increases in First Quarter

Real gross domestic product increased 3.2 percent in the first quarter of 2019, according to the “advance” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the fourth quarter of 2018, real GDP increased 2.2 percent.