The overall balance is the sum of the total capital account, current account and errors and omissions. Balance of payments is a set of accounts recording all economic transactions between the residents of the country and the rest of the world in a given period of time, usually one year. Payments into the country are called credits, payments out of the country are called debits. There are three main components of a balance of payments: – current account – capital account – financial account Either a surplus or a deficit can be shown in any of these components. Balance of payments shows strengths and weaknesses in a country’s economy and therefore helps to achieve balanced economic growth. The release of a balance of payments can have a significant effect on the exchange rate of a national currency against other currencies. It is also important to investors of domestic companies that depend on exports.