Nikkei edges up as Sony rebounds, Softbank bid-up

TOKYO, Mar 6 (Reuters) The Nikkei share average edged up 0.03 percent on Monday as investors returned to shares in Sony Corp. and other firms that had been battered during a recent sell-off.

Shares in Softbank Corp. were untraded, facing a surplus of buy orders after Britain's Vodafone Group Plc said on Friday it was in talks to sell its struggling Japanese mobile phone business to the Internet communications conglomerate.

The Nikkei was up 5.04 points at 15,668.38 as of 0005 GMT. The broader TOPIX index was down 0.03 percent at 1,612.51.

REUTERS VJ RAI0555