IN BRIEF (Page 17)

Toshiba starts share sales

Toshiba Corp, Japan's biggest maker of semiconductors, began the sale of more than $3 billion of stock after a record loss wiped out more than half the company's capital last year.

Toshiba plans to offer 870 million new shares at 3 percent to 5 percent below the stock's closing price on the day of the sale, which may be as early as next week, according to an e-mail sent to investors by sale arranger Nomura Holdings Inc yesterday. About 690 million shares will be sold to Japanese investors and 180 million to overseas buyers.