trade surplus

[treyd sur-pluhs, -pluhs]

noun

Economics.

1. a positive balance of trade, or the amount by which the value of a country’s exports exceeds that of its imports.

Word History and Origins

Origin of trade surplus¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Brazil is facing American tariffs of 50%, even though the U.S. has a trade surplus with the country.

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Other nations where the U.S. has a small trade deficit would also get 15% tariffs, a senior administration official told reporters, while nations where the U.S. runs a trade surplus would be hit with 10% tariffs.

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China’s trade surplus stood at $90.45 billion from $102.3 billion in August, missing the $98.1 billion surplus expected by the economists.

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U.S. wine exports to Canada dropped 96% in the second quarter—from nearly $111 million last year to under $4 million this year—and the U.S. wine trade surplus with Canada has flipped to a deficit for the first time ever.

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Citi projects import growth at 1.5%, resulting in a trade surplus in USD terms of $95.1 billion.

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