11.   The budget surplus is shrinking just as Congress and the White House are working up a hearty appetite for new spending programs and tax cuts.

12.   The dollar rose as Japan said its current account surplus shrank in July for the second consecutive month.

13.   The dollar was little changed after Japan said its November current account surplus shrank more than expected and after Japanese stocks fell again.

14.   The nation, which a decade ago had a large surplus refining capacity, has seen that surplus shrink because of numerous closings.

15.   The OMB projections are expected to show that the non-Social Security surplus has shrunk considerably but is not gone.

16.   The politically sensitive surplus is shrinking because of steady import growth, particularly of computers and automobiles, and Japanese spending money abroad.

17.   The politically volatile surplus also shrank because U.S.-bound exports from Japan are slowing to a crawl.

18.   The politically volatile surplus also shrank because U.S.-bound exports from Japan slowed to a crawl.

19.   The surplus shrank as Japanese businesses bought more semiconductors and office machines from abroad while exporting fewer automobiles and auto parts.

20.   Washington only measured a trace of rain, helping to shrink their surplus to a mere three inches above the normal precipitation.