NEW YORK (AP): Microsoft Corp., not wanting to get left behind rivals in an online advertising boom, agreed to pay $6 billion (euro4.45 billion) in cash to acquire aQuantive Inc. on Friday, a leading agency for Internet ads which also has powerful technology that serves display and banner ads to other Web sites.
The eye-popping premium of 85 percent Microsoft is paying for aQuantive reflects a heated race for the few remaining online advertising businesses, as media and technology companies jockey for position in the Internet advertising market.