SAN FRANCISCO - The Justice Department is reportedly looking into antitrust implications of Yahoo!'s(YHOO) decision to outsource some of its online ads in the U.S. to Google(GOOG).
The Justice Department is concerned that a two-week test run that Yahoo! initiated with Google may violate antitrust law, according to Reuters. The test run is part of Yahoo!'s attempt to find a strategic alternative to an unsolicited takeover bid by Microsoft(MSFT). An unnamed source told Reuters that the government is particularly concerned about a phone call from Google's Chief Executive Eric Schmidt to Yahoo's CEO Jerry Yang, in which he offered his help in dodging a Microsoft merger. Antitrust concerns about a relationship between Google and Yahoo! have existed ever since rumors about the possibility came to the surface. Many observers have maintained that a deal between the two wouldn't fly because of Google's dominance in the search market. Yahoo! has been scrambling to find alternatives to the Microsoft merger, including engaging in talks with Time Warner's(TWX) AOL division as well as News Corp.(NWS). Shares of Yahoo! closed Wednesday down 46 cents, or 1.6%, to $28.08.>To order reprints of this article, click here: ReprintsTheStreet Premium Services For Personal Service: 877-471-2967
Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS:
Trade right alongside a Wall Street pro — enjoy access to his Charitable Trust portfolio and be sent trade alerts BEFORE he makes a move. Learn More
ETF Profits:
Get money-making ideas from the hottest investment vehicle on the planet. Our experts show you how to play various ETF sectors to help pump-up your portfolio. Learn More
OptionsProfits:
Get 50+ trade ideas a week from the industry's top options experts. Plus — exclusive commentary on market trends and essential trading tools. Learn More
Real Money:
Our team of professional Wall Street Pros — including Jim Cramer, Doug Kass, and Nicholas Vardy — delivers intelligent analysis, timely trade ideas, and colorful commentary. Learn More
Stocks Under $10:
Break into the market with small- and mid-cap stocks... all $10 or less! David Peltier tells you exactly which low-priced stocks he's buying and selling. Learn MoreTo begin commenting right away, you can log in below using your Disqus, Facebook, Twitter, OpenID or Yahoo login credentials. Alternatively, you can post a comment as a "guest" just by entering an email address. Your use of the commenting tool is subject to multiple terms of service/use and privacy policies - see here for more details.
blog comments powered by Disqus
| Dow Jones | S&P 500 | NASDAQ | 10-Year Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12,772.96 | 1,340.83 | 2,905.90 | 19.81 |
Oil *
117.29
|
|
DOWN
117.50 |
DOWN
11.12 |
DOWN
21.33 |
DOWN
0.66 |
10 Yr
1.98%
SPDR Gold
167.01
|
|
-0.91%
|
-0.82%
|
-0.73%
|
-3.22%
|
Data delayed 20 minutes |
Connect with TheStreet