WASHINGTON - The current account deficit rose to $108.0 billion in the third quarter, matching economists’ estimates, from a revised $98.0 billion in the second quarter, the Commerce Department reported today.
As a share of GDP, the current account was 3.0% in the third quarter, its highest share of GDP since the fourth quarter of 2008, compared with 2.8% in the second quarter.
The deficit of goods and services increased to $97.4 billion in the third quarter from $81.2 billion in the second quarter. The deficit of goods increased to $132.1 billion in the third quarter from $115.5 billion in the second quarter.
Economists expected the current account deficit to be $108.0 billion in the third quarter, according to the median estimate from Thomson Reuters.
