International Trade & Investment

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, widened by $17.2 billion, or 10.6 percent, to $178.5 billion in the third quarter of 2020. The widening reflected an expanded deficit on goods that was partly offset by an expanded surplus on primary income. The third quarter deficit was 3.4 percent of current dollar gross domestic product, up from 3.3 percent in the second quarter.

The U.S. monthly international trade deficit increased in October 2020 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit increased from $62.1 billion in September (revised) to $63.1 billion in October, as imports increased more than exports. The previously published September deficit was $63.9 billion. The goods deficit increased $0.6 billion in October to $81.4 billion. The services surplus decreased $0.4 billion in October to $18.3 billion.

Majority-owned U.S. affiliates (MOUSAs) of foreign multinational enterprises (MNEs) employed 7.8 million workers in the United States in 2018, a 1.9 percent increase from 7.7 million in 2017, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

The U.S. monthly international trade deficit decreased in September 2020 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit decreased from $67.0 billion in August (revised) to $63.9 billion in September, as exports increased more than imports. The previously published August deficit was $67.1 billion. The goods deficit decreased $3.1 billion in September to $80.7 billion. The services surplus increased less than $0.1 billion in September to $16.8 billion.

The U.S. net international investment position, the difference between U.S. residents’ foreign financial assets and liabilities, was –$13.05 trillion at the end of the second quarter of 2020, according to statistics released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Assets totaled $28.87 trillion and liabilities were $41.92 trillion. At the end of the first quarter, the net investment position was –$12.16 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, widened by $59.0 billion, or 52.9 percent, to $170.5 billion in the second quarter of 2020. The widening reflected an expanded deficit on goods and reduced surpluses on primary income and on services. The second quarter deficit was 3.5 percent of current dollar gross domestic product, up from 2.1 percent in the first quarter.

The U.S. monthly international trade deficit increased in July 2020 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit increased from $53.5 billion in June (revised) to $63.6 billion in July, as imports increased more than exports. The previously published June deficit was $50.7 billion. The goods deficit increased $9.3 billion in July to $80.9 billion. The services surplus decreased $0.8 billion in July to $17.4 billion.

The U.S. monthly international trade deficit decreased in June 2020 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit decreased from $54.8 billion in May (revised) to $50.7 billion in June, as exports increased more than imports. The previously published May deficit was $54.6 billion. The goods deficit decreased $4.0 billion in June to $72.2 billion. The services surplus increased $0.1 billion in June to $21.5 billion.

The U.S. direct investment abroad position, or cumulative level of investment, increased $158.6 billion to $5.96 trillion at the end of 2019 from $5.80 trillion at the end of 2018, according to statistics released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The increase reflected a $95.7 billion increase in the position in Europe, primarily in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. By industry, manufacturing affiliates accounted for most of the increase.

The U.S. monthly international trade deficit increased in May 2020 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit increased from $49.8 billion in April (revised) to $54.6 billion in May, as exports decreased more than imports. The previously published April deficit was $49.4 billion. The goods deficit increased $4.2 billion in May to $76.1 billion. The services surplus decreased $0.6 billion in May to $21.5 billion.