Q: Jeeves, why are you making a loss?

A: Because the ad market is still laid low by recession...

Internet search engine Ask Jeeves has turned in a third quarter loss and blamed falling revenues on the continued decline in the advertising sector and a decrease in corporate spending. Revenues fell almost 50 percent, to $15.4m from $29m for the same period last year, resulting in a loss of $27.5m, or 74 cents per share, compared with a loss of $38.5m, or $1.08 per share. The losses were worse than analysts' expectations of around 27 cents per share. The results include a goodwill charge of $16.1m relating to acquisitions.