YAHOO HAS TOLD world+dog that it will be happy to sell itself to Microsoft, but only if Steve Ballmer adds a few more zeros to the final figure.

In a statement, Yahoo said that it was not opposed to a deal with Microsoft, but apparently wants the shy and retiring, softly-spoken Steve 'there's-a-kind-of-hush' Ballmer to increase the bid.

Yahoo is under pressure of a three-week deadline from Microsoft to accept its $41 billion buyout bid. Vole has said that if a deal isn't reached by April 26 it will launch a hostile takeover at a less attractive price.

Shareholders took heed of the rhetoric and Yahoo stock fell 49 cents while Volish stock increased in value by 23 cents.

The Yahoo statement was penned by Chief Executive Jerry Yang and Chairman Roy Bostock who told Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer that the current offer is "not in the best interests of shareholders" of Yahoo.

It says that we are not opposed to a transaction with Microsoft if it is in the best interests of stockholders. It wants cash that fully reflects the value of Yahoo, including any strategic benefits to Microsoft. µ

L'Inqs
Yahoo's letter
Microsoft's letter