The Japanese economy returned to growth in the final quarter of 2014 - this news brought the country's stocks to a seven-year high with the Nikkei Stock Average rising by 0.5 percent to 18004.77 - above the 18000 threshold for the first time since 2007.

The economy grew at an annualised pace of 2.2 percent in the three months - this was well below the 3.6 percent growth that had been predicted.

The economy enjoyed a 0.6 percent quarter-on-quarter expansion.

Growth laboured as household and company spending remained poor. Private consumption makes up 60 percent of the economy - it only increased by 0.3 percent in the quarter, less than half the 0.7 percent bounce that economists had expected.

Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe has already delayed a controversial sales tax increase that was due to be introduced in October of last year.

Some companies have benefited from the weakening of the yen - exports rose by 2.7 percent.

Japanese companies are sitting on record profits - but they are still unwilling to spend and expand.

Unemployment is down to 3.5 percent - but real wages are stagnant and prices are rising - this means that most Japanese people feel poorer.