Expecting Another Budget Surplus

Economists expect the U.S. Treasury today to report its second straight annual budget surplus. They predict a March budget shortfall of $18.7 billion, compared with a shortfall of $13.8 billion in March 1998. In February, the deficit grew to $42.9 billion from $41.8 billion in February 1998. Still, the Treasury is expected to report a surplus of as much as $100 billion for fiscal 1999 after last year’s surplus of $70 billion--the first in 29 years.