trade surplus

American  

[treyd sur-pluhs, -pluhs] / ˈtreɪd ˌsɜr plʌs, -pləs /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of trade surplus

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

trade surplus

“Despite China’s strong import growth, exports are set to lead to a new record-high trade surplus this year. This could intensify pressure from trading partners to rebalance terms of trade,” said ING economist Lynn Song.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

China’s foreign-exchange reserves edged higher in August against the backdrop of a weaker dollar and a surging trade surplus, renewing concerns about the yuan’s appreciation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

China ran a record $1.2 trillion trade surplus last year, with exports up 5.5% from 2024.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

China ran a $1.2 trillion trade surplus last year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

With the depreciation of the Thai baht and the collapse of domestic demand, however, imports have fallen off sharply—by more than 33%—and Thailand posted a trade surplus of approximately $12 billion in 1998.

From The 1999 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency