ebay inc

EBay Inc., the world's largest Internet auctioneer, fell 7.7 percent in late U.S. trading after reporting slowing growth in spending at its retail sites.

Gross merchandise volume, the value of all goods that users sold on EBay's sites, rose 8 percent, the smallest increase in at least five quarters, EBay said today in a statement.

"It's the difference between making money and not making money"

EBay Inc. is exploring whether to require customers to use its online payment service PayPal, a move that has angered users and prompted antitrust scrutiny in Australia, where a PayPal-only rule takes effect next month.

It's unclear whether eBay will institute a similar policy in the United States and other countries.

However, the online auction company often tries big changes in smaller markets before expanding them worldwide, and says it is open to that in this case.

"Craigslist has never sought any outside money, and that's not going to change."

Craigslist is firing back at its rival and minority owner eBay, scolding the online auctioneer's actions as unethical and smelling of a hostile takeover.

In a move that pits two of the Internet's most popular sites against each other, EBay Inc. sued the online classifieds company Tuesday, alleging it unfairly tried to dilute eBay's stake in it.

EBay purchased a 28 percent stake in privately held Craigslist in 2004.

"This careful balancing of spurring innovation and consumer choice while encouraging infrastructure investment is critical to the wireless industry's continued impressive growth"

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin said on Tuesday he was proposing to dismiss a petition from Web-based phone service Skype to force open wireless networks.