Sharp may get OEM deal with Hewlett-Packard in copiers: source

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Sharp Corp may get an original equipment manufacturing (OEM) deal to make copy machines under the Hewlett-Packard brand, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Supply of copiers to the U.S. company could begin as early as the second half of the current business year that ends in March 2014, he said, declining to be identified because a formal deal had yet to be signed.

Shares in Sharp were up 7.9 percent at 300 yen in late morning trade, while the benchmark Nikkei average was roughly flat.

(Reporting by Reiji Murai; Writing by Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Shinichi Saoshiro)