Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) revived Internet search effort, dubbed Bing, helped the company increase its share of the U.S. search market to 9.5% in August from 8% in the prior month, as Google Inc. (GOOG) and Yahoo Inc. (YHOO) saw their respective shares decline, according to data published Thursday by Hitwise.

Google's share of the U.S. market slipped to 70.2% from 71.4%, according to the data, while Yahoo's share fell to 17% from 17.2%. Microsoft unveiled Bing in May, and since then has reached a search and advertising agreement with Yahoo that would have the companies effectively teaming up on Google. Antitrust regulators are reviewing the planned partnership, which the companies hope to begin early next year.

-By John Letzing; 415-439-6400; AskNewswires@dowjones.com

Order free Annual Report for Yahoo, Inc.

Visit http://djnewswires.ar.wilink.com/?link=YHOO or call 1-888-301-0513