Preview of the 2013 Comprehensive Revision of the Industry Economic Accounts

摘要

IN DECEMBER 2013, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) will release the results of the 2013 comprehensive revision of the industry economic accounts (IEAs). The last comprehensive revision of the IEAs was released in May 2010. Comprehensive revisions, which are typically conducted at 5-year intervals, tend to have a more expansive scope than annual revisions. Comprehensive revisions provide an opportunity to update the accounts to better reflect the evolving nature of the U.S. economy. Typically, these revisions incorporate two major types of improvements: (1) changes in definitions and classifications and (2) statistical changes. Changes in definitions and classifications update the accounts to more accurately portray the dynamic U.S. economy and to better facilitate international comparisons with economic data available from other countries. With this comprehensive revision, the accounts will be updated to reflect the updated international guidelines for national economic accounts The System of National Accounts 2008 (SNA). Statistical changes update the accounts through the use of new and improved estimation methods and newly available and revised source data.