Japan posted its first current account deficit in two years in January, driven by a weak yen and higher imports of electronics ahead of the Lunar New Year. The deficit reached 257.6 billion yen ($1.75 billion), surpassing market expectations. Imports increased 17.7%, significantly outpacing export growth of 2.1%.
The data was out earlier:
More on the “current account”
- refers to a component of a country’s balance of payments that measures the flow of goods, services, investment income, and unilateral transfers (such as remittances and foreign aid) between the country and the rest of the world.
- The current account is divided into several categories:
- Trade Balance: The value of exported goods minus the value of imported goods.
- Net Exports/Imports of Services: Such as tourism, software services, etc.
- Net Investment Income: Includes income from assets held overseas, such as dividends and interest, minus similar payments made to foreign investors who own assets in the country.
- Unilateral Transfers: Transfers that don’t involve a quid pro quo, such as remittances, foreign aid, grants, etc.
- A positive current account balance indicates that a country is exporting more than it is importing, effectively lending to the rest of the world. Conversely, a negative current account balance means that a country is importing more than it is exporting and is thus borrowing from other countries. The current account, together with the capital and financial accounts, make up a country’s balance of payments, providing a comprehensive view of a country’s economic transactions with the rest of the world.