TAIPEI – Is Acer about to embark on a spending spree? The company has raised about $640 million in capital through sales of real estate and holdings of bonds and shares in other companies during the past six months, and speculation is rising the funds will be used for acquisitions.

According to various reports, Acer has sold holdings in Wistron, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Foxconn and other companies. (Wistron is Acer's former EMS arm.)

Last spring, Acer chairman J.T. Wang said the company was in talks to buy a small company.