MOVIES

NEW YORK -- Shares of Sun Microsystems Inc. (SUNW) jumped Tuesday as investors rejoiced in a federal court decision ordering rival Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) to distribute Sun's Java programming technology. The decision, announced late Monday, granted Sun's request for a preliminary injunction against Microsoft, in a private case that builds upon earlier court rulings that the Microsoft illegally creates obstacles for Sun to carve out a market for its Java product. The reaction on Wall Street was initially positive, with Sun's shares recently trading up as much as 13%. After the news was announced Monday evening, Sun's stock moved up as much as 17% during the late trading session on to Island ECN. Sun's shares recently traded at $3.16, up 6.8% on volume of 9.4 million. Dow component Microsoft's shares recently lost 0.1% at $53.95. Earlier in December, Sun told U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz that the market for software capable of supporting Web-based services was in danger of "tipping" toward Microsoft's product, the .NET Framework. Microsoft said it would appeal the ruling. "We're disappointed with today's ruling," said company spokesman Jim Desler. The company will ask the Court of Appeals to review the matter "on an expedited basis," Desler said.