NEW YORK (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp reported its first quarterly loss as a public company on Thursday as it took a previously announced hit for writing down the value of its ailing online unit and suffered stagnant sales of its flagship Windows operating system.

Excluding the multibillion-dollar write-down, which was signaled earlier this month, and factoring in some deferred Windows revenue, the world’s largest software company actually exceeded Wall Street’s expectations, boosting its shares slightly higher in post trade.

SEATTLE (Reuters) – An ugly first week for Microsoft Corp’s new financial year, probably its most important to date, has done little to inspire confidence that the software giant can jumpstart a stubbornly stagnant share price.

The world’s largest software company, whose stock remains mired around $30, had prepared a multi-pronged assault to try and break into the crucial mobile computing space this year and take Apple Inc and Google Inc down a peg.

SEATTLE (Reuters) – Boeing Co (BA.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) heads to the year’s biggest airs show under a new leader looking to make a hit with its latest single-aisle aircraft and undermine Airbus’ leadership of the global $100 billion a year airliner market.

The world’s No. 2 aircraft maker, which put top salesman Ray Conner in charge of its commercial plane unit only last week, will also be grilled by international customers on how it plans to replace its successful but aging 777 mini-jumbo and increase production across the board.

SEATTLE (Reuters) – U.S. labor groups said they were disappointed with Airbus’ decision to build its first U.S. plant in Alabama, where it is effectively impossible to form a powerful union, and warned non-union work could drive down wages across the board in one of the last bastions of U.S. manufacturing.

The move follows rival Boeing Co, whose commercial aircraft unit has made increasing use of non-union labor over the last five years, culminating last year in the opening of a final assembly plant for 787s in South Carolina.

SEATTLE (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp admitted its largest acquisition in the Internet sector was effectively worthless and wiped out any profit for the last quarter, as it announced a $6.2 billion charge to write down the value of an online advertising agency it bought five years ago.

The announcement came as a surprise, but did not shock investors, who had largely forgotten Microsoft’s purchase of aQuantive in 2007, which was initially expected to boost Microsoft’s online advertising revenue and counter rival Google Inc’s purchase of digital ad firm DoubleClick.

SEATTLE (Reuters) – U.S. aerospace unions stayed largely quiet on Monday as Europe’s Airbus announced plans to build its first airliner assembly plant in Mobile, Alabama, free of union representation.

Some welcomed the creation of jobs on U.S. shores, but expressed wariness that non-union work would drive down wages across the board in one of the last bastions of U.S. manufacturing.

SEATTLE (Reuters) – Boeing Co (BA.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) appointed a new head of its commercial plane unit on Tuesday, turning to a veteran engineer-turned-salesman to help gain the upper hand in its battle with Airbus for the $100 billion-a-year aircraft market.

The surprise move, just weeks before the Farnborough Airshow, comes as Boeing attempts to ramp up production of its civil aircraft, including the troubled 787, and regain its leading position in the key single-aisle market after losing a large American Airlines (AAMRQ.PK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) order to rival Airbus.

SEATTLE (Reuters) – Boeing Co (BA.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) appointed a new head of its commercial plane unit on Tuesday as it looks to regain the upper hand in its battle with Airbus for the $100 billion-a-year aircraft market.

The largest U.S. planemaker has recently steadied its troubled 787 program but has struggled in the more important narrow-body 737 market, where it allowed Airbus to march into its core territory and take a large order from staunch Boeing customer American Airlines. (AAMRQ.PK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)

SEATTLE (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp agreed to buy online social network firm Yammer Inc for $1.2 billion in cash, which will allow the software company to offer a service like Facebook Inc’s to corporate customers.

Talk of a deal had circulated earlier this month, but the two companies only confirmed an agreement on Monday.

SEATTLE, June 20 (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp’s new
phone software will be built on the same core as its new
upcoming PC and tablet operating system, bringing the company
one step closer to unifying its Windows franchise across a full
range of screens that are revolutionizing computing.

The world’s largest software company, which is running to
keep up with Apple Inc’s iPhone and Google Inc’s
Android devices, said the common core means customers
will have a greater choice of phones and applications, and be
able to switch between multiple machines more easily.