The BEA Wire | BEA's Official Blog

Coming July 13: Statistics on New Foreign Investment in 2014 and 2015

SUITLAND, Md. — Statistics detailing the amount and type of new direct investments made in the United States by foreign investors will be released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis on Wednesday, July 13.

The data will be available in a news release on BEA’s website at 8:30 a.m. eastern time. The statistics cover new direct investments initiated in 2015 and 2014 and will provide information on:

U.S. Net International Investment Position: End of the First Quarter of 2016

The U.S. net international investment position at the end of the first quarter of 2016 was -$7,525.6 billion (preliminary) as the value of U.S. liabilities exceeded the value of U.S. assets. At the end of the fourth quarter of 2015, the net investment position was -$7,280.6 billion (revised).

Why Do Old GDP Numbers Keep Changing?

BEA is getting ready for its big summer update of GDP and other national economic statistics, coming in late July. This annual ritual of refining figures from the last three years can be confusing. People wonder: Were the old numbers wrong? Are these new figures final? No, and not really.

Real Consumer Spending Slows in May

Personal income increased 0.2 percent in May after increasing 0.5 percent in April. Wages and salaries, the largest component of personal income, increased 0.2 percent in May after increasing 0.5 percent in April.

GDP Increases in First Quarter

"Third" estimate of GDP

Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased 1.1 percent in the first quarter of 2016, according to the “third” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The growth rate was 0.3 percentage point higher than the “second” estimate released last month. In the fourth quarter of 2015, real GDP increased 1.4 percent.  

Travel and Tourism Spending Accelerated in the First Quarter

Real spending (output) on travel and tourism accelerated in the first quarter of 2016, increasing at an annual rate of 5.2 percent after increasing 1.5 percent (revised) in the fourth quarter of 2015. By comparison, real gross domestic product (GDP) decelerated, increasing 0.8 percent in the first quarter (second estimate) after increasing 1.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2015.

State Personal Income: First Quarter 2016

State personal income grew 1.0 percent on average in the first quarter of 2016, the same pace as in the fourth quarter of 2015. Personal income grew in every state except Wyoming and North Dakota with first-quarter personal income growth rates ranging from -1.3 percent in North Dakota to 1.5 percent in Washington.

U.S. Current-Account Deficit Increases in First Quarter 2016

The U.S. current-account deficit—a net measure of transactions between the United States and the rest of the world in goods, services, primary income (investment income and compensation), and secondary income (current transfers)—increased to $124.7 billion (preliminary) in the first quarter of 2016 from $113.4 billion (revised) in the fourth quarter of 2015. As a percentage of U.S. GDP, the deficit increased to 2.7 percent from 2.5 percent.…

Information Industry Group Led Growth Across States in the Fourth Quarter

Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased in 41 states and the District of Columbia in the fourth quarter of 2015, according to statistics on the geographic breakout of GDP released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Real GDP by state growth, at an annual rate, ranged from 3.0 percent in Indiana to –3.4 percent in Wyoming. Information; construction; and professional, scientific, and technical services were the leading contributors to…

April 2016 Trade Gap is $37.4 Billion

The U.S. monthly international trade deficit increased in April 2016 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit increased from $35.5 billion in March (revised) to $37.4 billion in April, as imports increased more than exports. The previously published March deficit was $40.4 billion. The goods deficit increased $1.4 billion from March to $58.8 billion in April. The services surplus decreased $0.5…

BEA Moves Ahead on Second Phase to Combat Potential for Residual Seasonality in GDP

The Bureau of Economic Analysis is moving ahead on the second phase of a three-pronged plan to refine its estimates of gross domestic product by reducing potential sources of “residual” seasonality.  That’s when seasonal patterns remain in data even after they are adjusted for seasonal variations.

Personal Income Rises in April

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