21.   Rubin has countered that the U.S. economy is fundamentally sound and that the deficit is shrinking.

22.   The Central Bank said the deficit shrank in May because of a smaller trade deficit and lower service costs on interest payments.

23.   Trade deficit shrinks sharply in February as imports plunge.

24.   U.S. trade deficit shrinks slightly.

25.   U.S. trade deficit shrinks slightly, but still big.

26.   Inflation is under control and the budget deficit has shrunk.

27.   But the Riyad Bank report stressed that if current economic parameters remain the same, the budget deficit will shrink by half.

28.   Wall Street analysts had predicted that the trade deficit actually would shrink to eight billion dollars.

29.   Wall Street analysts had predicted that the trade deficit would shrink to eight billion dollars.

30.   Share prices here lost some of their shine Thursday, in line with losses on Wall Street after the announcement that the US trade deficit shrank more than expected.