Google paid clicks data generate debate on Wall Street

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
New data confirming slowing growth in Google Inc.'s paid clicks renewed debate Thursday on Wall Street over whether the Internet search company's revenue can quickly adjust to changes it made in how it generates clicks. Citing data that comScore Inc. released after the market closed on Wednesday, analysts said growth in Google's click-through rate has nearly ground to a halt. Google's stock closed down $14.11, or 3.1 percent, to $444.08 in afternoon trading. The click-through rate grew 3% in February compared to a year earlier, and January saw no increase compared to January 2007. Several months earlier, the rate was growing 25% to 40% compared to a year earlier. The new data is in line with click-through declines Google reported last quarter.