International Trade & Investment

The U.S. net international investment position, the difference between U.S. residents’ foreign financial assets and liabilities, was –$10.56 trillion at the end of the second quarter of 2019, according to statistics released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Assets totaled $28.01 trillion and liabilities were $38.56 trillion. At the end of the first quarter, the net investment position was –$10.16 trillion.

The U.S. current account deficit, which reflects the combined balances on trade in goods and services and income flows between U.S. residents and residents of other countries, narrowed by $8.0 billion, or 5.9 percent, to $128.2 billion in the second quarter of 2019. The narrowing mainly reflected an expanded surplus on primary income. The second quarter deficit was 2.4 percent of current dollar gross domestic product, down from 2.6 percent in the first quarter.

The U.S. monthly international trade deficit decreased in June 2019 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit decreased from $55.3 billion in May (revised) to $55.2 billion in June,as imports decreased more than exports. The previously published May deficit was $55.5 billion. The goods deficit decreased $0.8 billion in June to $75.1 billion. The services surplus decreased $0.6 billion in June to $20.0 billion.

The U.S. monthly international trade deficit increased in May 2019 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit increased from $51.2 billion in April (revised) to $55.5 billion in May, as imports increased more than exports. The previously published April deficit was $50.8 billion. The goods deficit increased $4.4 billion in May to $76.1 billion. The services surplus increased $0.1 billion in May to $20.6 billion.

Expenditures by foreign direct investors to acquire, establish, or expand U.S. businesses totaled $296.4 billion in 2018, up 8.7 percent from $272.8 billion in 2017.

The U.S. net international investment position decreased to –$9.93 trillion (preliminary) at the end of the first quarter of 2019 from –$9.55 trillion (revised) at the end of the fourth quarter of 2018. The $374.4 billion decrease reflected net financial transactions of –$30.2 billion and net other changes in position, such as price and exchange-rate changes, of –$344.2 billion.

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.

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 April to $20.9 billion.