Uh Oh! Looks like Microsoft is going to start strong-arming Yahoo into a deal:

Computer software giant Microsoft has given Yahoo a three-week deadline to respond to its offer to buy out the internet company for $44.6bn (£22.3bn).
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said his company would take its case directly to Yahoo’s shareholders if Yahoo’s directors did not respond by 26 April.
Microsoft made an unsolicited bid on 31 January, but Yahoo’s board rejected it as substantially underrating its value. Yahoo has since explored alliances with other firms, but no offer has surfaced.
[…]
“During these two months of inactivity, the internet has continued to march on, while the public equity markets and overall economic conditions have weakened considerably,” he added.
Mr Ballmer said his company’s offer – 62% above Yahoo’s market value at the time – had grown stronger as time had passed.

He makes a good point and in this economy, who wants to pay more than $30 a share for a search engine.

More from Beliefnet and our partners