Yahoo Considering 'Selling Off' Core Business

Yahoo is reportedly considering selling its core internet business, a move that would mark the end of an era for one of the web's best-known names.

Shares in Yahoo rose 7% in extended trading after the Wall Street Journal reported the possible sale.

Yahoo's core services include Yahoo Mail, plus its news and sports sites.

The company’s board is meeting amid a debate about the future of the company and its high-profile chief executive Marissa Mayer.

Ms Mayer joined Yahoo in 2012 after long spell at Google, and promised to turn the company around.

But her plan to boost mobile, video and native adverts has failed to increase revenues, while desktop advertising continues to decline.

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A $1bn deal for Tumblr in 2013 was criticised by investors - it lifted Yahoo's user base to around one billion but did not bring in advertisers.

A series of marathon meetings are due to be held from Wednesday through to Friday to discuss the potential sale, according to reports.

Analysts have previously said that Yahoo's services could attract private equity firms and media companies as buyers.

Yahoo was once one of the most powerful websites around, but has been overtaken by the likes of Google, Amazon and Facebook.

But despite falling out of fashion, it still attracts around 210 million visitors every month in the US alone.