Shrinking cities are dense cities that have experienced notable population loss. Emigration (migration from a place) is a common reason for city shrinkage. Since the infrastructure of such cities was built to support a larger population, its maintenance can become a serious concern. A related phenomenon is counter urbanization.
DEFINITION of 'Trade Surplus'. An economic measure of a positive balance of trade, where a country's exports exceeds its imports. A trade surplus represents a net inflow of domestic currency from foreign markets, and is the opposite of a trade deficit, which would represent a net outflow. Next Up.
Trade Balance. 1  The U.S. goods trade deficit with Mexico was $63.2 billion in 2016, a 4.2% increase ($2.5 billion) over 2015. 2  The United States has a services trade surplus of an estimated $7.6 billion with Mexico in 2016, down 20.7% from 2015.