Bureau of Economic Analysis

The Economics and Statistics Administration’s family of statistical agencies – the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and U.S. Census Bureau – are announcing an important new initiative that will lead to an acceleration of key trade data as well as improved accuracy of the advance estimate of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). GDP is widely considered the most important measure of the U.S. economy.

The U.S. monthly international trade deficit decreased in February 2015 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit decreased from $42.7 billion in January (revised) to $35.4 billion in February, as imports decreased more than exports. The previously published January deficit was $41.8 billion. The goods deficit decreased $7.4 billion from January to $55.2 billion in February. The services surplus…

The Census Bureau’s plans to produce an advance monthly report on international trade in goods will allow the Bureau of Economic Analysis to incorporate three months of official trade data into its first estimate of quarterly Gross Domestic Product, helping to improve the accuracy of this major economic measure.

BEA Director Brian Moyer praised the move as an example of cross-agency collaboration.

U.S. Census Bureau U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis NEWS U.S. Department of Commerce * Washington, DC 20230 U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GOODS AND SERVICES February 2015 The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S.

The U.S. net international investment position was -$6,915.3 billion (preliminary) at the end of the fourth quarter of 2014 as the value of U.S. liabilities exceeded the value of U.S. assets. At the end of the third quarter, the net position was -$6,129.4 billion (revised).

The U.S. net international investment position was -$6,915.3 billion (preliminary) at the end of 2014 as the value of U.S. liabilities exceeded the value of U.S. assets. At the end of 2013, the net position was -$5,383.0 billion.

Notice About the 2015 Annual Revision of the U.S. Net International Investment Position

The annual revision of the U.S. net international investment position will be released along with preliminary estimates for the first quarter of 2015 on June 30, 2015. An article previewing the annual revisions will appear in the April 2015 issue of the Survey of Current Business.

Personal income rose 0.4 percent in February, the same increase as in January. Wages and salaries, the largest component of personal income, rose 0.3 percent in February after rising 0.6 percent in January.

Current-dollar disposable personal income (DPI), after-tax income, rose 0.4 percent in February after rising 0.5 percent in January.

Real DPI, income adjusted for taxes and inflation, increased 0.2…

Personal income increased $58.6 billion, or 0.4 percent, and disposable personal income (DPI) increased $54.2 billion, or 0.4 percent, in February, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $11.8 billion, or 0.1 percent. In January, personal income increased $61.8 billion, or 0.4 percent, DPI increased $61.5 billion, or 0.5 percent, and PCE decreased $28.5 billion, or 0.2 percent, based on…

Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased 2.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014, according to the “third” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The growth rate was the same in the “second” estimate released in February. In the third quarter, real GDP increased 5.0 percent.

Fourth-quarter GDP highlights Consumer spending more than accounted for the increase in GDP, rising 4.4 percent, compared with 3.2 percent in…