Microsoft Corp is capitalising on Lotus Development Corp’s problems with 1-2-3 3.0 by cutting US retail prices of Excel, which can now be had for as little as $209 in the shops where the best price for 1-2-3 is $286; International Data Corp reckons 1 2-3 had 51%, Excel 7.2% of the spreadsheet business done worldwide in first half of 1988.