Abstract In this paper, we examine the empirical relationship between current account balance and output volatility in a panel data framework using annual data from 185 countries over the period from 1950 to 2010. In our static panel data analysis, we find that a larger current account deficit is associated with higher output volatility, particularly for emerging market economies. Our analysis reveals that this association strongly interacts with GDP per-capita. In order to account for possible endogeneity and feedback effects, we also employ a Panel-VAR framework and show that output volatility gives a significant positive response to a shock in the current account balance and a negative response to the shocks on GDP per-capita capita.