Current Account Deficit Increases As Expected

The current-account deficit increased to a roughly as-expected $128.2 billion in the fourth quarter vs the third quarter's slightly revised $101.5 billion deficit which benefited from $24.9 billion in hurricane-related insurance payments. As a percentage of GDP, the fourth-quarter deficit rose to a still moderate 2.6 percent from the prior quarter's 2.1 percent.

Fourth-quarter details include a swelling in the goods deficit, reflecting rising imports of industrial supplies and consumer goods, and also a deepening deficit in secondary income, here reflecting a decrease in U.S. government transfers.