CAPITAL ACCOUNT SURPLUS: An imbalance in a nation's balance of payments capital account in which payments received by the country for selling domestic assets exceed payments made by the country for purchasing foreign assets. In other words, investment by the domestic economy in foreign assets is greater than foreign investment in domestic assets. This is generally a desireable situation for a domestic economy. However, in the wacky world of international economics, a capital account surplus is often balanced by a current account deficit, which is not generally considered a desireable situation. If, however, the current account does not balance out the capital account, then a capital account surplus contributes to a balance of payments surplus. See also | capital account | balance of payments | balance of payments surplus | capital account deficit | current account | current account deficit | domestic | foreign | international economics | international finance | foreign exchange |
