Sony agreed to invest in a Sharp LCD unit, the Nikkan Kogyo newspaper reported, without saying where it obtained the information.

Sharp said it may appeal a ruling by a US trade panel that said the Japanese electronics maker had violated an LCD patent held by South Korea's Samsung Electronics.

Sharp has announced that its 10th-generation LCD plant is currently under construction in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture and will be operational in October 2009.

Sony who is desperate to cut their massive losses has commenced talks with arch rival LG to make LCD panels for their Bravia LCD TV range, the talks come a month after the Company signed a deal with Sharp to make large screen Bravia panels.

Pioneer and Sharp have announced that they signed a partnership agreement on the establishment of a joint venture in the optical disk business area.

Japan's Sharp said it would start output at its new 380 billion yen ($3.8 billion) LCD panel plant in western Japan in October.

Sharp has introduced a line of 1800 lumen LED-based lighting fixtures appropriate for permanent outdoor use (roughly the same illumination as a traditional 250 Watt flood light per head).

Japan's Toshiba and Sharp has said they are considering working together in the solar power business amid growing demand for cleaner energy, sending their shares higher.