Australia · Trade
How does trade affect
the current account?
The current account combines trade in goods and services with income flows and transfers between Australia and the rest of the world.
June quarter 2026 balance-of-payments edition · Seasonally adjusted · New releases are checked before updating
The parts of the current account
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See the figures behind this chart
Positive components add to the current-account balance; negative components subtract from it. The dark marker shows the published current-account total. Small differences can reflect source rounding.
Why can the current account differ from the trade balance?
Australia can run a trade surplus and still record a current-account deficit when net income paid overseas is larger than that surplus. Primary income includes cross-border employee earnings, interest, dividends and other investment income. Secondary income includes current transfers, such as money sent to family overseas. Capital transfers are recorded separately.