Director’s Message

In this issue, we present the 2019 annual update of the National Income and Product Accounts, which incorporated newly available source data and various methodology improvements. Statistics for 2014–2018 and the first quarter of 2019 were updated. Economic growth from 2013 to 2018 was revised up slightly. Generally, the revised statistics are similar to the previously published statistics.

A separate article discusses the details of the advance estimate of gross domestic product for the second quarter of 2019.

Elsewhere, we present two articles covering international statistics. One highlights recent trends in the outward and inward direct investment positions and presents direct investment positions at the end of 2018 by industry and by country. The second article discusses new foreign direct investment in the United States in 2018, detailing spending to acquire, establish, or expand U.S. businesses. It also discusses employment and other statistics for these businesses.