What is the meaning of "超か" in this news headline?

Question

I saw this in a news article saying that Toshiba had losses of \1T:

東芝、赤字１兆円超か

http://www.asahi.com/articles/DA3S12867082.html

What is the purpose of adding か at the end?

Answer 1

超【ちょう】 is "over/above ～", the antonym for 未満.

• 2m超のヘビ
• 100kg超の体重

This か is a question marker. か after a noun/suru-verb is a typical "headlinese" expression meaning "there is a possibility that / suspicion of ～". It corresponds to a question mark in English headlines.

• また賃金削減か
  More Wage Cuts?
• 英国、EU離脱か
  UK to Exit EU? / UK Exits EU?
  _{(referring to something that seems to have happened but is unconfirmed, or something that is likely to happen in the near future)}

Similar expressions:

• 英国、EU離脱も
  UK May Exit EU
  _{(referring to something not very likely but not impossible; ～もあり得る)}
• 英国、EU離脱へ
  UK To Exit EU
  _{(referring to something that is going to happen)}