Fact Service (July 2018)

Issue 27

UK's current account deficit cut


The UK’s trading position with the rest of the world improved somewhat in the first quarter of 2018.


The UK’s current account deficit was £17.7 billion in the January-March quarter — a narrowing of £1.8 billion from the revised deficit of £19.5 billion in final quarter of 2017.


A narrowing in the trade deficit from £5.7 billion to £3.8 billion helped cut the current account deficit.


The trade in goods deficit in first quarter was £31.2 billion, compared with a deficit of £34.9 billion in final quarter 2017, helped by imports decreasing by £2.3 billion to £119.2 billion and exports increasing by £1.4 billion to a record £87.02 billion


Meanwhile, the trade in services surplus narrowed by £1.8 billion to £27.4 billion in the first quarter of 2018.


https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/bulletins/balanceofpayments/quarter1jantomar2018


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