The UK's current account deficit was £23.2 billion (4.6% of gross domestic product) in Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2017, a widening of £0.9 billion from a revised deficit of £22.3 billion (4.4% of gross domestic product) in Quarter 1 (Jan to Mar) 2017.
The widening in the current account deficit was driven by a widening to the deficit on primary and secondary incomes, which widened £1.4 billion and £1.9 billion respectively; these were mostly offset by a narrowing of the deficit on trade in goods which narrowed £2.3 billion in Quarter 2 2017.
The primary income deficit widened to £10.2 billion in Quarter 2 2017 due to foreign earnings on direct investment and portfolio investment in the UK increasing more than UK earnings on direct investment and portfolio investment abroad between Quarter 1 2017 and Quarter 2 2017.