Microsoft is acquiring professional social network LinkedIn for $26.2bn (€23.19bn) in one of the largest tech-industry deals on record, as the maker of Windows software attempts to put itself at the centre of people’s business lives.

Microsoft is purchasing professional social network LinkedIn in a deal reported to be worth $26.2 billion.

Yahoo is rolling out a rebuilt search engine in a bid to supplant its business partner Google as the most popular place to find things on the Internet.