European Probe of Microsoft Expected

Microsoft Corp. is expected to face a new European Union investigation into allegations from a French software wholesaler that Microsoft used its dominant market position to block imports of its software into Europe, the European Commission said. The EU said it would reconsider the complaint, filed in 1996 by French software distributor Micro Leader Business, after the appeals division of the European Court of Justice ruled that the commission was wrong to reject the company’s complaint. Micro Leader Business, which sells Microsoft products in France, charged that Microsoft unfairly attempted to block the import of its software from Canadian distributors, resulting in lost orders. Microsoft said it will present the commission with legal briefs defending its actions. Separately, Microsoft said it will invest $200 million in Best Buy Co. as part of an agreement to market its online service and products through the No. 1 U.S. consumer-electronics chain. Microsoft shares rose $5.25 to close at $113.69 on Nasdaq.