It compares to a $125B deficit in May 2012 (for what it’s worth the BBG consensus was $138.7B, much worse than the RTRS one I cited).
- Outlays of $336B vs $305B in May 2012
- Receipts $197B vs $181 in May 2012
- Shifted $33B in benefits payments to June from May due to calendar adjustments
- Year-to-date deficit $626B vs $844B in 2012
The final number is probably the one to focus on but I would have expected to see a sharper drop in May spending due to the sequester, especially due to some payments being pushed to June. It’s tough to get a full grasp of these numbers because of the month-to-month volatility.
