U.S. current-account deficit widens to $246.0 billion in second quarter of 2026
The deficit reached 3.0 percent of GDP, and the net foreign liability position deepened.
What we know
- The U.S. current-account deficit widened by $33.4 billion, or 15.7 percent, to $246.0 billion in the second quarter of 2026, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said. [1] [2]
- The deficit equaled 3.0 percent of current-dollar gross domestic product, up from 2.7 percent in the first quarter. [2]
- The revised first-quarter deficit was $212.6 billion. [2]
- The U.S. net international investment position was negative $22.42 trillion at the end of the second quarter, compared with negative $21.27 trillion at the end of the first. [2] [4]
- Not yet confirmed: The sources do not say what drove the wider deficit or the change in the net investment position.
The U.S. current-account deficit widened to $246.0 billion in the second quarter of 2026, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) said in a post on X on Sept. 24. [1]
According to the BEA's release, the deficit grew by $33.4 billion, or 15.7 percent, from a revised $212.6 billion in the first quarter. [2]
The BEA said the second-quarter shortfall was 3.0 percent of current-dollar gross domestic product, compared with 2.7 percent in the first quarter. [2]
The agency also published figures on the U.S. net international investment position, which is the difference between foreign financial assets held by U.S. residents and U.S. liabilities to foreign residents. The BEA said the position was negative $22.42 trillion at the end of the second quarter, compared with a revised negative $21.27 trillion at the end of the first. [3][4]
At the end of the second quarter, U.S. assets totaled $46.97 trillion and liabilities totaled $69.39 trillion, the BEA said. [4]
The BEA said its next release on the accounts is scheduled for Dec. 18, 2026. [4]
RECEIPTS · 4 SOURCES
- 1POST ON X · @BEA_News (BEA News)The United States’ current-account deficit widened to $246.0 billion in Q2. https://t.co/Z6hJKCiEVUOpen source ↗ Archived copy
- 2OFFICIAL STATEMENT · www.bea.govwww.bea.govOpen source ↗ Archived copy
- 3POST ON X · @BEA_News (BEA News)The United States’ current-account deficit widened to $246.0 billion in Q2. U.S. international investment position statistics are also availOpen source ↗ Archived copy
- 4OFFICIAL STATEMENT · bea.govbea.govOpen source ↗ Archived copy