The United States registered a budget surplus of $4.76 billion in July, compared to a deficit of $25.16 billion in the same month last year, the Treasury Department announced yesterday.

The surplus came as a surprise to Wall Street analysts, who were predicting a deficit of $6.89 billion in July, a month in which the US government usually has a deficit.

The Treasury said receipts totalled $134.07 billion and outlays were $129.32 billion.

Interest payments on US debt were down to $19.33 billion from $75.88 billion in June. The US government has paid $321.59 billion so far this year on its debt.

The Treasury Department expects a surplus of $211 billion for fiscal year 2000, which ends September 30th.