VIA seeks US, European investment opportunities

Issuing new shares to pay for it

VIA is looking overseas for strategic alliances to extend its chipset and microprocessor business.

To that end, the company will issue some 60 million shares next month to raise around $625 million - based on yesterday's closing price of NT$334 ($10.44) a share - to fund investment in technology companies.

The shares will be issued as American Depositary Receipts. A March issue is on the cards, though VIA may delay the plan if the "market condition" isn't favourable, a spokesman said, cited by Reuters.

Who VIA will take a stake in remains to be seen - certainly the spokesman was mum on possible investments. ®