Economic Outlook No 116 — Current account balance in United States
United States: Economic Outlook No 116 — Current account balance was -1.19 trillion in 2026. ◆ Volatile
Economic Outlook No 116 — Current account balance in United States, 1960–2026
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Analysis
United States recorded -1.19 trillion for economic outlook no 116 — current account balance in 2026. That is the lowest value across all 67 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.9% on the previous year and down 199.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, economic outlook no 116 — current account balance in United States peaked at 18.11 billion in 1975 and was at its lowest, -1.19 trillion, in 2026.
United States ranks 31st of 36 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Economic Outlook No 116 — Current account balance in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.82 billion | — |
| 1961 | 3.82 billion | +35.3% |
| 1962 | 3.38 billion | -11.5% |
| 1963 | 4.41 billion | +30.4% |
| 1964 | 6.82 billion | +54.6% |
| 1965 | 5.43 billion | -20.5% |
| 1966 | 3.03 billion | -44.1% |
| 1967 | 2.58 billion | -14.9% |
| 1968 | 613.00 million | -76.2% |
| 1969 | 396.00 million | -35.4% |
| 1970 | 2.33 billion | +488.1% |
| 1971 | -1.44 billion | -161.6% |
| 1972 | -5.80 billion | +304.0% |
| 1973 | 7.14 billion | -223.1% |
| 1974 | 1.96 billion | -72.6% |
| 1975 | 18.11 billion | +825.1% |
| 1976 | 4.29 billion | -76.3% |
| 1977 | -14.34 billion | -434.0% |
| 1978 | -15.14 billion | +5.6% |
| 1979 | -290.00 million | -98.1% |
| 1980 | 2.32 billion | -898.6% |
| 1981 | 5.03 billion | +117.2% |
| 1982 | -5.53 billion | -210.0% |
| 1983 | -38.70 billion | +599.3% |
| 1984 | -94.34 billion | +143.8% |
| 1985 | -118.16 billion | +25.2% |
| 1986 | -147.18 billion | +24.6% |
| 1987 | -160.66 billion | +9.2% |
| 1988 | -121.16 billion | -24.6% |
| 1989 | -99.48 billion | -17.9% |
| 1990 | -78.97 billion | -20.6% |
| 1991 | 2.90 billion | -103.7% |
| 1992 | -51.61 billion | -1882.9% |
| 1993 | -84.82 billion | +64.3% |
| 1994 | -121.61 billion | +43.4% |
| 1995 | -113.57 billion | -6.6% |
| 1996 | -124.77 billion | +9.9% |
| 1997 | -140.72 billion | +12.8% |
| 1998 | -215.07 billion | +52.8% |
| 1999 | -286.61 billion | +33.3% |
| 2000 | -401.92 billion | +40.2% |
| 2001 | -394.08 billion | -1.9% |
| 2002 | -456.11 billion | +15.7% |
| 2003 | -522.29 billion | +14.5% |
| 2004 | -635.89 billion | +21.7% |
| 2005 | -749.23 billion | +17.8% |
| 2006 | -816.65 billion | +9.0% |
| 2007 | -736.55 billion | -9.8% |
| 2008 | -696.52 billion | -5.4% |
| 2009 | -379.73 billion | -45.5% |
| 2010 | -432.01 billion | +13.8% |
| 2011 | -455.30 billion | +5.4% |
| 2012 | -418.18 billion | -8.2% |
| 2013 | -339.52 billion | -18.8% |
| 2014 | -370.06 billion | +9.0% |
| 2015 | -408.45 billion | +10.4% |
| 2016 | -396.22 billion | -3.0% |
| 2017 | -367.62 billion | -7.2% |
| 2018 | -439.85 billion | +19.6% |
| 2019 | -441.75 billion | +0.4% |
| 2020 | -601.20 billion | +36.1% |
| 2021 | -867.98 billion | +44.4% |
| 2022 | -1.01 trillion | +16.6% |
| 2023 | -905.38 billion | -10.5% |
| 2024 | -1.08 trillion | +19.5% |
| 2025 | -1.15 trillion | +6.6% |
| 2026 | -1.19 trillion | +2.9% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's -1.19 trillion is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.64 billion. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Economic Outlook No 116 — Current account balance in United States changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | -1882.9% | 2.90 billion | -51.61 billion |
| 1980 | +898.6% | -290.00 million | 2.32 billion |
| 1975 | +825.1% | 1.96 billion | 18.11 billion |
| 1983 | -599.3% | -5.53 billion | -38.70 billion |
| 1970 | +488.1% | 396.00 million | 2.33 billion |
| 1977 | -434.0% | 4.29 billion | -14.34 billion |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.33 billion | 396.00 million | 6.82 billion | 10 |
| 1970s | -317.00 million | -15.14 billion | 18.11 billion | 10 |
| 1980s | -77.79 billion | -160.66 billion | 5.03 billion | 10 |
| 1990s | -121.49 billion | -286.61 billion | 2.90 billion | 10 |
| 2000s | -578.90 billion | -816.65 billion | -379.73 billion | 10 |
| 2010s | -406.90 billion | -455.30 billion | -339.52 billion | 10 |
| 2020s | -972.81 billion | -1.19 trillion | -601.20 billion | 7 |
Countries ranked near United States
More economy & growth data for United States
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -24.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.63 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.12 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0057 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 509.07 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -0.7205 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0041 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 371.72 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 0.9623 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is economic outlook no 116 — current account balance in United States?
- Economic outlook no 116 — current account balance in United States was -1.19 trillion in 2026, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest economic outlook no 116 — current account balance recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 18.11 billion in 1975.
- What is the lowest economic outlook no 116 — current account balance recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.19 trillion in 2026.
- How does United States rank for economic outlook no 116 — current account balance?
- United States ranks 31st out of 36 countries with data for 2026.
- Is economic outlook no 116 — current account balance rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 199.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Economic Outlook No 116 — Current account balance. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The OECD Economic Outlook presents the OECD’s analysis of the major global economic trends and prospects for the next two years. The Outlook puts forward a consistent set of projections for output, employment, government spending, prices and current balances based on a review of each member country and of the induced effect on each of them on international developments. OECD (2024), OECD Economic Outlook No 116 (Edition 2024/2) EO116 Database documentation EO116 Last historical points OECD Economic Outlook website: https://www.oecd.org/economic-outlook/ Contact: eco.outlook@oecd.org