Second Request Alert: Is the Smell of Money keeping the Microsoft Yahoo Deal Alive?

Perhaps....From Reuters:

"Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer withdrew the bid on Saturday after talks collapsed, with Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang demanding $37 per share.

Shares of Microsoft rose 0.5 percent on investor relief that it was not overpaying for Yahoo, though concerns remained about how the software maker would develop its Web strategy in the face of a dominant Google Inc.

"We did like the idea of the Yahoo acquisition in the long run for Microsoft, but we did have reservations about how high a price they were willing to pay," said Dan Davidowitz, a portfolio manager at Polen Capital Management, which owns Microsoft and Google shares. "I'm not necessarily certain that the Yahoo deal is completely off the table.""

Hat Tip: David Johnstone