The dollar soared against the yen in...

The dollar soared against the yen in early trading in Tokyo today following Friday’s report of a lower U.S. foreign trade deficit. The dollar opened at 131.40 yen, up 1.45 yen from Friday’s close of 129.95 yen. Stock prices also firmed, with the 225-share Nikkei average gaining 188.26 points, or 0.8%, to 24,170.20 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Dealers at the Tokyo foreign exchange market said the dollar rose above the 131-yen level for the first time since mid-December. They said they believe the dollar will remain firm because of the report that the U.S. foreign trade deficit shrank in December; it was the second consecutive month of improvement.