Tokyo  - The Tokyo market reversed its early gains to end Thursday's trading lower as economic worries outweighed optimism created by a weaker yen.

Tokyo players bought mainly export-oriented issues in morning trading as the yen's value dropped. Market sentiment was also boosted by a report the previous day about a government plan to use public funds to buy stocks to try to avoid further declines in share prices.

But investors returned to selling in the afternoon to lock in profits from gains in the morning and on Wednesday on lingering economic worries.

Tokyo  - The Tokyo market rose Thursday as investors bought export-oriented issues on a weaker yen.

Buying was also spurred by a report the previous day about a government plan to use public funds to buy stocks to avoid further declines in share prices.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average extended its gains from Wednesday, rising 99.09 points, or 1.33 per cent, in morning trading to 7,560.31.

The broader Topix index of all first section issues also rose for a second day, up 4.67 points, or 0.63 per cent, at 750.29.

Tokyo - Japan logged the largest trade deficit on record in January as the global recession slowed exports, the Finance Ministry said Wednesday.

The nation's trade deficit totaled 952.6 billion yen (9.97 billion dollars) in January.

The trade balance showed a deficit for four months in a row, and the largest since the government began taking the data in January 1979.

In January, exports fell 45.7 per cent to 3.48 trillion yen from the previous year, and imports dropped 31.7 per cent to 4.44 trillion yen, the ministry said.

With the United States, Japan's surplus shrank 75.3 per cent to 132.8 billion yen. Exports fell by 52.9 per cent to 571.7 billion yen, and imports from the country by 35 per cent to 438.9 billion yen.

Tokyo - Tokyo stocks bounced back Wednesday after Wall Street's overnight rally.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average rose 115.35 points, or 1.59 per cent, to 7,383.91.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was up 7.58 points, or 1.04 per cent, at 737.86.

Exporters were helped by the US dollar's advance against the yen, as a weaker currency helps boost Japanese companies' earnings.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar traded at 96.52-57 yen, up from Tuesday's 5 pm quote of 95.35-37 yen.

Tokyo  - Japan's key Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost more than 2 per cent in Tuesday morning trading after the Dow Jones index hit record low in almost 12 years.

The Nikkei index declined 191.66 points, or 2.6 per cent, to 7,184.5.

The broader Topix index of all first section issues was also down 13.41 points, or 1.82 per cent, at 721.87.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar traded at 94.37-42 yen, up from Monday's 5 pm quote of 93.35-38 yen.