Shares in Sony dived more than 10 percent to lows not seen since 1980
after the troubled Japanese electronics maker announced it would issue
bonds worth 150 billion yen ($1.9 billion).
Sony was down 10.91
percent at 775 yen in morning trade on the Tokyo Stock Exchange after
falling to a low of 772 yen, down 11.26 percent from Wednesday.
The
firm said late Wednesday it would issue convertible bonds totalling 150
billion yen to raise funds for business investment and to repay debts,
sparking fears of dilution of the value of each share.
The price was less than five percent of the peak price of 16,950 yen in 2000, the year PlayStation 2 was released.
"This
is likely a one-off trade following the CB (convertible bonds)
announcement," said Mitsushige Akino, chief fund manager at Ichiyoshi
Investment Management.
"Focus is on whether the firm can achieve synergy effects through the tie-up with Olympus," he told Dow Jones Newswires.
Sony
has joined hands with the camera and endoscopes maker which had looked
for business partners as it tries to move on from an embarrassing
accounting scandal.
In September, Sony said it would invest 50
billion yen in Olympus, citing its desire to tap the lucrative medical
equipment business as its television unit struggles.
Olympus said
Monday it had swung back into the black in the first half of its fiscal
year, reporting a $100 million net profit on the sale of subsidiaries
unrelated to its core business, while the key medical systems unit
posted an operating profit.
Sony and its domestic rivals are all
struggling due to the strong yen and falling prices of television and
other products amid stiff competition from South Korean, Chinese and
other makers.
Moody's last week downgraded Sony's credit rating
for the second time in a month, the latest blow to Japan's electronics
sector where embattled Sharp has seen its own credit rating slashed to
junk.
The global ratings agency chopped Sony by one notch to Baa3 with a negative outlook, just above junk grade.