World Business Quick Take

■ Software
SAP open to Oracle merger
The chief executive of SAP AG, the world's biggest maker of business software, told a German business magazine he'd be open to a merger with rival Oracle Corp if company head Larry Ellison were to raise the idea. "I would listen to him," SAP CEO Henning Kagermann told German business weekly Wirtschaftswoche, published yesterday. The Walldorf-based company confirmed Kagermann's remarks. Kagermann said his company's executives would consider any merger proposal, provided it was in the best interest of the software maker's shareholders, something a German company is required by law to do. Oracle and SAP are the world's two leading makers of business applications software. SAP has long been the industry leader, but Oracle has recently been closing the gap with several high-profile acquisitions.

■ Semiconductors
AMD reports losses for Q1
The US semiconductor firm Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) -- the top rival of industry leader Intel -- on Wednesday reported first quarter losses due to slumping prices for its flash-memory-chips, and said it would spin off the struggling unit into an initial public stock offering. The device is a storage chip for cellphones and other electronic devices. The Sunnyvale, California-based firm reported losses of US$17 million compared to profits of US$45 million dollars in the same quarter last year. Sales of the flash chips were down 29 percent to US$449 million in the period, and the unit had an operating loss of US$110 million. The creation of the new flash memory chip company was to be done in collaboration with Japan's Fujitsu.