MICROSOFT'S INVESTMENT IN software developer Corel is under antitrust investigation, according to a report in the Wednesday edition of The Wall Street Journal newspaper.

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The newspaper reported that lawyers briefed on the case said the U.S. Justice Department served Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft with a subpoena three weeks ago, requiring it to hand over documents relating to the investment.

The Justice Department is investigating whether Microsoft's stake in Ottawa-based Corel will reduce competition in the market for word processing, spreadsheets, and graphics software, according to the report. Microsoft currently has 90 percent of that market with its Office software package.

In October Microsoft invested $135 million in loss-making Corel, best known for the Word Perfect word processing program.

Corel's decision to leave the market for the Linux operating system shortly after the investment by Microsoft has raised other antitrust concerns.

On Feb. 26 and Feb. 27, a U.S. Circuit Court appellate panel will hear Microsoft's appeal against the Justice Department's broader case. Microsoft lost that case late last year when the U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ruled the company be split in two.