Despite remark from Ballmer, Microsoft says it's not interested in Yahoo

UPDATED Microsoft was forced to issue an official statement following CEO Steve Ballmer's comments yesterday morning at Gartner ITXpo. Ballmer's remark that a Microsoft acquisition of Yahoo still makes sense caused an upward jolt in Yahoo's stock value.

The company's official word came later: "Our position hasn't changed. Microsoft has no interest in acquiring Yahoo!; there are no discussions between the companies."

Yahoo's shares began trading this morning still a bit inflated as a result, with an opening value only about 5% lower than yesterday's highest.

MarketWatch's Rex Crum reported Ballmer's remarks this morning, which expressed confusion about what per-share price Yahoo expected from the Microsoft buyout offer. He maintained, however, that a combination of the companies is still an economically feasible option.

Since those comments were made, Yahoo's stock value, which closed yesterday at $11.75, shot up to $13.42, more than 13%. Microsoft's previous bid for Yahoo stock placed shares at $33 each, but today, Ballmer reproachfully said that even though stock in the company has dropped, it "probably thinks its still worth at least [that] much today."