The BEA Wire | BEA's Official Blog

Want to know how much manufacturing contributed to U.S. economic growth in a given quarter? How about educational services?

The Bureau of Economic Analysis will soon release real personal income statistics using regional price indexes to adjust BEA’s personal income data for differences in the cost of living across states and metro areas.

The U.S. monthly international trade deficit increased in February 2014 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the U.S. Census Bureau. The deficit increased from $39.3 billion in January (revised) to $42.3 billion in February as exports decreased and imports increased.

Personal income increased 0.3 percent in February, the same as in January. Wages and salaries, the largest component of personal income, increased 0.2 percent after increasing 0.3 percent.

Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased 2.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013, according to the “third” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The growth rate was 0.2 percentage point more than the “second” estimate released in February.

The U.S. net international investment position was -$4,577.5 billion (preliminary) at the end of the fourth quarter of 2013 as the value of foreign investments in the United States exceeded the value of U.S. investments abroad.

The U.S. net international investment position was -$4,577.5 billion (preliminary) at the end of 2013 as the value of foreign investments in the United States exceeded the value of U.S. investments abroad. At the end of 2012, the net position was -$3,863.9 billion.

State personal income growth slowed to 0.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013, from 1.0  percent in the third quarter. Growth ranged from 1.2 percent in Texas to -0.6 percent in Iowa.

Average state personal income growth slowed to 2.6 percent in 2013 from 4.2 percent in 2012. State personal income growth ranged from 1.5 percent in West Virginia to 7.6 percent in North Dakota, with every state growing more slowly in 2013 than in 2012.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) will restore a portion of the statistical detail to its Local Area Personal Income (LAPI) program that had been eliminated due to sequestration and reduced funding levels in FY 2013.

Steve Landefeld, Director of the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, plans to retire in early May. Dr. Landefeld took the helm in May 1995 and in his 19 years as director was instrumental in implementing major changes aimed at better measuring the dynamic U.S. and world economies.

Real spending on travel and tourism accelerated in the fourth quarter of 2013, increasing at an annual rate of 4.2 percent after increasing 3.1 percent (revised) in the third quarter of 2013.