The federal government ran a $23.2 billion deficit in December, the Treasury Department reported Thursday.
Outlays in December totaled $348.990 billion. Receipts totaled $325.797 billion.
In December 2016, the government ran a $27.3 billion deficit.
Economists polled by IFR Markets predicted a $40.0 billion deficit.
In November, the government ran a $138.548 billion deficit.
For the fiscal year to date, the government has a $225.0 billion deficit, compared to a $209.8 billion deficit for the similar period in fiscal 2016.
