Japanese trade deficit soars to record, shares slump.

Japan's trade deficit more than doubled to a record ¥2.79T ($27.3B) in January from ¥1.3T in December and exceeded consensus of ¥2.49T. Export growth slowed while imports soared 25%. In Q4, a large trade deficit contributed to GDP expanding at a lower-than-expected 1%. However, the latest figures may have been affected by a rush to purchase foreign-made goods before a sales-tax increase in April and by the Chinese New Year.