The United States current account deficit rose to a seasonally adjusted $246 billion in Q2 2026 from a downwardly revised $212.6 billion in Q1, though coming slightly below the expected $255 billion. The goods shortall increased to $291.3 billion from $250.9 billion, as goods imports (+7.8%) grew more than exports (+4.4%), while the services surplus was little changed at $91.5 billion. Meanwhile, the primary income gap fell to $11.4 billion from $15.8 billion, largely due to an increase in direct and portfolio investment income. At the same time, the secondary income deficit shrank to $34.8 billion from $38 billion, helped by higher general government transfer receipts, particularly fines and penalties, as well as private transfer receipts. The gap reflected a current account deficit of 3% of the US GDP in Q2, up from 2.7% in the prior quarter. source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

The United States recorded a Current Account deficit of 246 USD Billion in the second quarter of 2026. Current Account in the United States averaged -66.30 USD Billion from 1960 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 9.96 USD Billion in the first quarter of 1991 and a record low of -438.24 USD Billion in the first quarter of 2025. This page provides the latest reported value for - United States Current Account - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. United States Current Account - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on September of 2026.

The United States recorded a Current Account deficit of 246 USD Billion in the second quarter of 2026. Current Account in the United States is expected to be -290.00 USD Billion by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the United States Current Account is projected to trend around -230.00 USD Billion in 2027 and -280.00 USD Billion in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-06-24 12:30 PM
Current Account
Q1 $-226.8B $-221.1B $-217.5B $ -220.0B
2026-09-24 12:30 PM
Current Account
Q2 $-246B $-212.6B $-255B $-249.0B
2026-12-18 01:30 PM
Current Account
Q3 $-246B $ -290.0B



Components Last Previous Unit Reference
Current Account Goods -291.30 -250.93 USD Billion Jun 2026
Current Account Services 91.49 92.10 USD Billion Jun 2026

Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Auto Exports 114.00 110.80 Thousand Jun 2026
Balance of Trade -88.58 -71.18 USD Billion Jul 2026
Current Account -246.00 -212.60 USD Billion Jun 2026
Current Account to GDP -3.60 -4.00 percent of GDP Dec 2025
Exports 310.72 317.34 USD Billion Jul 2026
External Debt 30196961.00 29448233.00 USD Million Mar 2026
Foreign Direct Investment 101894.00 81603.00 USD Million Jun 2026
Imports 399.30 388.52 USD Billion Jul 2026
Terms of Trade 112.57 108.95 points Jun 2026


United States Current Account
Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid).
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
-246.00 -212.60 9.96 -438.24 1960 - 2026 USD Billion Quarterly
SA

News Stream
US Current Account Shortfall Smaller than Expected
The United States current account deficit rose to a seasonally adjusted $246 billion in Q2 2026 from a downwardly revised $212.6 billion in Q1, though coming slightly below the expected $255 billion. The goods shortall increased to $291.3 billion from $250.9 billion, as goods imports (+7.8%) grew more than exports (+4.4%), while the services surplus was little changed at $91.5 billion. Meanwhile, the primary income gap fell to $11.4 billion from $15.8 billion, largely due to an increase in direct and portfolio investment income. At the same time, the secondary income deficit shrank to $34.8 billion from $38 billion, helped by higher general government transfer receipts, particularly fines and penalties, as well as private transfer receipts. The gap reflected a current account deficit of 3% of the US GDP in Q2, up from 2.7% in the prior quarter.
2026-09-24
US Current Account Deficit Widens More than Expected
The United States current account deficit widened to a seasonally adjusted $226.8 billion in the first quarter of 2026 from a revised $221.1 billion in the last quarter of 2025. The widening took place despite the presidential administration's vocal efforts to reduce the current account gap in the US through tariffs and the higher turnover of energy exports in March as the war in the Middle East lifted oil, fuel, and gas prices. The primary income account swung to a deficit of $-13.3 billion from a surplus of $3.4 billion in the earlier quarter as debits on investment income rose by over $15 billion, while credits fell by over $3 billion. In turn, the secondary income gap widened to $47.8 billion from $47.1 billion. Tempering a sharper deficit, the goods account deficit narrowed to $250.9 billion from $259.4 billion, while the services surplus widened to $85.1 billion from $82.1 billion.
2026-06-24
US Current Account Gap at Lowest Since 2021
The United States current account deficit narrowed to a seasonally adjusted $190.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025 from $239.1 billion in the previous period, marking the lowest deficit since the first quarter of 2021. The goods deficit narrowed to $241.5 billion from $265.9 billion, as imports contracted more than exports, reflecting the impact of tariffs from the US presidential administration. Additionally, the primary income balance swung to a surplus of $23.9 billion from the deficit of $2.5 billion. In the meantime, the services surplus inched lower to $81.4 billion from $86.5 billion and the secondary income deficit inched down to $54.6 billion from $57.2 billion. The gap reflected a current account deficit of 2.4% of the US GDP in the fourth quarter, narrowing from 3.1% in the third quarter.
2026-03-25