Bureau of Economic Analysis

Although the U.S. economy has changed considerably over time, construction is an industry that’s maintained its importance. We no longer depend on telegraphs as we once did, but we’ll always need a place to live. Construction also is an industry in which the products can differ to a great degree. While cellphones may be quite similar to one another, office buildings take shapes ranging from the Empire State Building to a one-story structure…

Construction; health care and social assistance; and retail trade were the leading contributors to the increase in U.S. economic growth in the first quarter of 2016. Overall, 11 of 22 industry groups contributed to the 1.1 percent increase in real GDP in the first quarter.

Construction; health care and social assistance; and retail trade were the leading contributors to the increase in U.S. economic growth in the first quarter of 2016. According to statistics on the breakout of gross domestic product (GDP) by industry released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, 11 of 22 industry groups contributed to the overall 1.1 percent increase in real GDP in the first quarter.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis updates GDP figures and their major components every summer, sweeping in more comprehensive data that weren’t available for earlier estimates. The 2016 annual update, coming July 29, also will feature some of BEA’s efforts to continuously improve its measurement of the U.S. economy.

Summer updates to national income and product accounts incorporate data from annual Census Bureau surveys of businesses…

This is a guest blog by John H. Thompson, Director of U.S. Census Bureau

Expenditures by foreign direct investors to acquire, establish, or expand U.S. businesses totaled $420.7 billion in 2015, an increase of 68 percent from 2014, when expenditures were $250.6 billion; according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) in statistics released today.

Some additional highlights of the statistics on new foreign direct investment for 2015:

Expenditures by foreign direct investors to acquire, establish, or expand U.S. businesses totaled $420.7 billion in 2015, an increase of 68 percent from 2014, when expenditures were $250.6 billion. In 2015, as in 2014, the majority of the expenditures were to acquire existing businesses. In 2015, expenditures for acquisitions were $408.1 billion. Expenditures to establish new U.S. businesses were $11.2 billion, and expenditures to expand…

Real personal income across all regions rose by an average of 2.9 percent in 2014. This growth rate reflects the year-over-year change in nominal personal income across all regions adjusted by the change in the national personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index. On a nominal basis, personal income across all regions grew an average of 4.4 percent in 2014. In 2014, the U.S. PCE price index grew 1.4 percent.

Real personal income across all regions rose by an average of 2.9 percent in 2014. This growth rate reflects the year-over-year change in nominal personal income across all regions adjusted by the change in the national personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index. On a nominal basis, personal income across all regions grew an average of 4.4 percent in 2014. In 2014, the U.S. PCE price index grew 1.4 percent.

The U.S. monthly international trade deficit increased in May 2016 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit increased from $37.4 billion in April (revised) to $41.1 billion in May, as exports decreased and imports increased. The previously published April deficit was $37.4 billion. The goods deficit increased $3.7 billion from April to $62.2 billion in May. The services surplus decreased $0.1…