The BEA Wire | BEA's Official Blog

BEA is releasing several new statistical products this year, part of an ongoing effort to better measure the dynamic U.S. economy and give businesses, policymakers and ordinary Americans additional tools to make informed decisions. Each report will be released at 8:30 a.m.

The U.S. monthly international trade deficit increased in December 2013 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit increased from $34.6 billion in November (revised) to $38.7 billion in December as exports decreased and imports increased.

Personal income remained flat in December after increasing 0.2 percent in November. Wages and salaries, the largest component of personal income, also remained flat after rising 0.5 percent.

Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased 3.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013, according to the “advance” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). In the third quarter, the growth rate was 4.1 percent.

Professional and business services; finance, insurance, real estate, rental, and leasing; mining; and manufacturing were the leading contributors to U.S.

The U.S. monthly international trade deficit decreased in November 2013 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit decreased from $39.3 billion in October (revised) to $34.3 billion in November as exports increased and imports decreased.

The U.S. net international investment position was –$4,165.6 billion (preliminary) at the end of the third quarter of 2013 as the value of foreign investments in the United States exceeded the value of U.S. investments abroad.

Personal income increased 0.2 percent in November after decreasing 0.1 percent in October. Wages and salaries, the largest component of personal income, rose 0.4 percent after rising 0.1 percent.

Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased 4.1 percent in the third quarter of 2013, according to the “third” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The growth rate was 0.5 percentage point more than the “second” estimate released earlier this month.

State personal income growth slowed slightly to 1.1 percent in the third quarter of 2013, from 1.2 percent in the second quarter. Growth slowed in 25 states, accelerated in 22, and was unchanged in 3 states and the District of Columbia.

Real spending on travel and tourism decelerated in the third quarter of 2013, increasing at an annual rate of 2.5 percent after increasing 3.5 percent (revised) in the second quarter of 2013.

The U.S. current-account deficit—the combined balances on trade in goods and services, income, and net unilateral current transfers—decreased to $94.8 billion (preliminary) in the third quarter of 2013 from $96.6 billion (revised) in the second quarter of 2013. As a percentage of U.S.