WASHINGTON — The federal government ran a $128.7 billion budget deficit in August, the Treasury reported Thursday.
The deficit followed a $94.6 billion shortfall in July and was very near the median $130 billion deficit predicted by economists polled by Thomson Reuters.
August outlays totaled $323.0 billion, compared to $305.2 billion in July. Receipts totaled $194.2 billion in August, compared to $210.6 billion for the previous month.
Fiscal year to date, there was a $589 billion deficit, compared to a $755 billion deficit for the same period last year. In August 2013, the U.S. government ran a $147.9 billion deficit.