Microsoft rules out buying Yahoo

Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Steve Ballmer ruled out an acquisition of Yahoo Inc on Wednesday but said his company was interested in resuming talks on a Web search partnership.Yahoo shares fell 19 percent on the remarks, after gaining this week on renewed investor hopes that Microsoft may refresh its bid for the Internet company. Microsoft withdrew its $47.5 billion buyout offer for Yahoo in May after Yang and his board rejected the bid as too low. The software company then offered to buy Yahoo's search business, but Yahoo decided instead to sign a search advertising deal with Google Inc.