In recent years, this matter has received a lot of attentions. The IMF (International Monetary Fund) has organized a series of discussions, and the focus has shifted from balance of payments surplus to savings gluts. It is comforting to see that the household savings rate has gone up to almost 7 percent in the U.S. as recently as this last May.
Whether this is a sustainable long-term trend remains a question for prudent judgment. Generally speaking,  BIS Review 85/2009  1  structural adjustment is never easy. In addition, the U.S. has a problem of public deficit. How the US healthcare reform will unfold, a matter that the international community follows with great interest may shape the future trend of U.S. savings rates. 3.