Sony's electronics, music and pictures businesses all performed worse than expected, with only the popular play station game console bringing strong earnings. The future would be painful, Sony said, forecasting it would lose money at the parent level in the next six months to march.

The sudden surge of the yen against the dollar in October would hit earnings, and electronic sales would be hit across the rest of Asia, Russia, eastern Europe and Latin America, Sony said.

"A lack of improvement in semi-conductor markets and higher semi-conductor-related depreciation expenses as well as higher research and development and advertising costs are also factors resulting in forecast of further declines in electronics profitability," the firm said.

Sony would alsosuffer from tough price competition in computer displays, cellular phones and broadcast equipment.