WASHINGTON — The federal government posted a $135.9 billion deficit in May, falling short of economists’ expectations, the Treasury Department reported yesterday. It was the 20th consecutive monthly budget deficit and the smallest May deficit since May of 2007.
Outlays totaled $282.7 billion and receipts totaled $146.8 billion.
Economists estimated the federal government would show a $140.0 billion deficit, according to the median forecast from Thomson Reuters. May is historically a deficit month, a Treasury official said.
