Economic Outlook No 117 — Current account balance in Australia
Australia: Economic Outlook No 117 — Current account balance was -65.20 billion in 2026. ◆ Volatile
Economic Outlook No 117 — Current account balance in Australia, 1960–2026
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Analysis
The most recent figure for economic outlook no 117 — current account balance in Australia is -65.20 billion, measured in 2026.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 14.3% on the previous year and down 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, economic outlook no 117 — current account balance in Australia peaked at 53.47 billion in 2021 and was at its lowest, -78.11 billion, in 2015.
Australia ranks 24th of 36 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Economic Outlook No 117 — Current account balance in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -645.00 million | — |
| 1961 | -31.00 million | -95.2% |
| 1962 | -166.00 million | +435.5% |
| 1963 | -28.00 million | -83.1% |
| 1964 | -273.00 million | +875.0% |
| 1965 | -860.00 million | +215.0% |
| 1966 | -510.00 million | -40.7% |
| 1967 | -707.00 million | +38.6% |
| 1968 | -1.09 billion | +53.7% |
| 1969 | -665.00 million | -38.8% |
| 1970 | -580.00 million | -12.8% |
| 1971 | -540.00 million | -6.9% |
| 1972 | 616.00 million | -214.1% |
| 1973 | 600.00 million | -2.6% |
| 1974 | -1.70 billion | -383.3% |
| 1975 | -555.00 million | -67.4% |
| 1976 | -1.24 billion | +123.4% |
| 1977 | -2.44 billion | +97.1% |
| 1978 | -3.62 billion | +47.9% |
| 1979 | -1.99 billion | -45.0% |
| 1980 | -3.40 billion | +70.6% |
| 1981 | -6.96 billion | +105.1% |
| 1982 | -7.62 billion | +9.4% |
| 1983 | -6.41 billion | -15.9% |
| 1984 | -9.50 billion | +48.1% |
| 1985 | -12.38 billion | +30.4% |
| 1986 | -13.75 billion | +11.0% |
| 1987 | -10.44 billion | -24.1% |
| 1988 | -13.40 billion | +28.3% |
| 1989 | -23.39 billion | +74.5% |
| 1990 | -20.08 billion | -14.2% |
| 1991 | -13.73 billion | -31.6% |
| 1992 | -14.20 billion | +3.4% |
| 1993 | -13.94 billion | -1.8% |
| 1994 | -21.99 billion | +57.7% |
| 1995 | -25.49 billion | +16.0% |
| 1996 | -18.84 billion | -26.1% |
| 1997 | -16.66 billion | -11.6% |
| 1998 | -29.77 billion | +78.7% |
| 1999 | -34.95 billion | +17.4% |
| 2000 | -27.67 billion | -20.8% |
| 2001 | -16.67 billion | -39.8% |
| 2002 | -30.00 billion | +80.0% |
| 2003 | -44.51 billion | +48.4% |
| 2004 | -56.60 billion | +27.2% |
| 2005 | -57.48 billion | +1.6% |
| 2006 | -61.37 billion | +6.8% |
| 2007 | -76.82 billion | +25.2% |
| 2008 | -58.83 billion | -23.4% |
| 2009 | -58.77 billion | -0.1% |
| 2010 | -49.99 billion | -14.9% |
| 2011 | -44.26 billion | -11.5% |
| 2012 | -66.28 billion | +49.7% |
| 2013 | -53.32 billion | -19.5% |
| 2014 | -50.29 billion | -5.7% |
| 2015 | -78.11 billion | +55.3% |
| 2016 | -58.74 billion | -24.8% |
| 2017 | -51.67 billion | -12.0% |
| 2018 | -48.91 billion | -5.3% |
| 2019 | -391.00 million | -99.2% |
| 2020 | 36.29 billion | -9381.8% |
| 2021 | 53.47 billion | +47.3% |
| 2022 | 8.00 billion | -85.0% |
| 2023 | -8.14 billion | -201.8% |
| 2024 | -51.96 billion | +538.3% |
| 2025 | -57.04 billion | +9.8% |
| 2026 | -65.20 billion | +14.3% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's -65.20 billion is below the median for high income countries, which is 3.53 billion. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Economic Outlook No 117 — Current account balance in Australia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +9381.8% | -391.00 million | 36.29 billion |
| 1964 | -875.0% | -28.00 million | -273.00 million |
| 2024 | -538.3% | -8.14 billion | -51.96 billion |
| 1962 | -435.5% | -31.00 million | -166.00 million |
| 1974 | -383.3% | 600.00 million | -1.70 billion |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -497.20 million | -1.09 billion | -28.00 million | 10 |
| 1970s | -1.14 billion | -3.62 billion | 616.00 million | 10 |
| 1980s | -10.73 billion | -23.39 billion | -3.40 billion | 10 |
| 1990s | -20.96 billion | -34.95 billion | -13.73 billion | 10 |
| 2000s | -48.87 billion | -76.82 billion | -16.67 billion | 10 |
| 2010s | -50.20 billion | -78.11 billion | -391.00 million | 10 |
| 2020s | -12.08 billion | -65.20 billion | 53.47 billion | 7 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More economy & growth data for Australia
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 96.31 % change on previous year (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.36 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.26 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 15.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0083 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 537.43 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 10.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 392.43 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 2.82 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is economic outlook no 117 — current account balance in Australia?
- Economic outlook no 117 — current account balance in Australia was -65.20 billion in 2026, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest economic outlook no 117 — current account balance recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 53.47 billion in 2021.
- What is the lowest economic outlook no 117 — current account balance recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was -78.11 billion in 2015.
- How does Australia rank for economic outlook no 117 — current account balance?
- Australia ranks 24th out of 36 countries with data for 2026.
- Is economic outlook no 117 — current account balance rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Economic Outlook No 117 — 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 (2025), OECD Economic Outlook No 117 (Edition 2025/1) EO117 Database documentation EO117 Last historical points gdp inflation cpi population unemployment real gdp gdp per capita employment OECD Economic Outlook website: https://www.oecd.org/economic-outlook/ Contact : eco.outlook@oecd.org Keywords : Outlook, forecasts, forecast, GDP