RED FLAG: Although its growth rate remains impressive, Google's earnings missed analyst estimates and CEO Eric Schmidt acknowledged the economic climate is "challenging." REACTION: Google shares shed more than 7 percent as investors realized the Internet search leader may not be immune to effects of the ailing U.S. economy. RAMIFICATIONS: This could foreshadow even worse news from Yahoo Inc., which ranks a distant second to Google in Internet advertising and needs to post a big second quarter next Tuesday to fend off a shareholder rebellion being led by activist investor Carl Icahn. |