After a great deal of disbelief in the markets after MSN and Yahoo! recently announced that takeover / merger talks were over it seems that pressure from shareholders on both sides has pushed the parties back together. While officially they are in discussions about a possible advertising joint venture there are many in the market who believe this is a cover story for re-ignited merger talks.

MSN recently walked away from the talks after failing to reach an agreement with the Yahoo! board who believed that the $47 billion deal undervalued the long term potential of the company. Rumour and counter rumour followed the break in talks but there were few who expected to see them back around the table so soon. What next?

The current talks are shrouded in secrecy (which is probably the way the earlier talks should have been handled) and there is very little information leaking from either party. However, there is much to discuss and while they must surely come to some kind of arrangement this time there can be no guarantees of a quick deal.

Just when Google thought the coast was clear for a while it seems that the combined MSN / Yahoo! Group might make a comeback.

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