VENTURE CAPITAL POST

The Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 chalked up record high closes on Friday, propelled by strong results from tech behemoths Google, Amazon and Microsoft.

Google Inc (GOOGL.O), already one of Washington's biggest spenders, set a company record for its lobbying activity in the first quarter of 2015 when it spent $5.5 million, according to a government database.

Start small, win quick, then move on to bigger issues. That appears to be the European Union's strategy to pursue Google (GOOGL.O) in a competition dispute by choosing to push a narrow set of charges around its shopping service, while opening another investigation of Google's Android mobile phone software.

The European Union accused Google Inc on Wednesday of cheating consumers and competitors by distorting Web search results to favor its own shopping service, after a five-year investigation that could change the rules for business online.

The Frankfurt-listed shares of Internet companies Yahoo and Facebook outperformed those of rival Google, after media reports that Google would face anti-trust action from the European Union.

Facebook Inc (FB.O) on Wednesday opened up its Messenger service for developers to create apps and for shoppers to communicate directly with retailers, as the Internet company seeks to expand its reach.

Italian prosecutors have wrapped up an investigation into allegations U.S. tech giant Apple (AAPL.O) failed to pay corporate taxes to the tune of 879 million euros ($964 million), two sources said on Monday.

Online video platform Vessel launched its paid subscription service on Tuesday, offering programming at least three days before other websites in a bid to reshape an industry dominated by free content on Google Inc's YouTube.

Uber Technologies Inc's Chief Financial Officer Brent Callinicos is stepping down, the online taxi service's CEO said in an email to investors.

With shallow pockets but a deep commitment to promote "living wages", women's advocacy group UltraViolet has peppered Target Corp (TGT.N) with cheap location-focused online ads, challenging it to match Wal-Mart Stores Inc's (WMT.N) promise of $10-an-hour base pay.

The best performing technology fund since the peak of the dot com boom did it all without owning Apple Inc (AAPL.O), whose soaring stock price has pushed the Nasdaq near a new record high.

Hundreds of millions of Windows PC users are vulnerable to attacks exploiting the recently uncovered "Freak" security vulnerability, which was initially believed to only threaten mobile devices and Mac computers, Microsoft Corp warned.

The Silicon Valley race to build a self-driving car may revolve around one simple question: to map or not to map. The company at the forefront of the race, Google Inc, is creating intricate maps that detail every tree and curb along the road - an expensive endeavor that other companies could find difficult to match.

Apple Inc (AAPL.O) and Google Inc (GOOGL.O) said on Tuesday that they have developed fixes to mitigate the newly uncovered 'Freak' security flaw affecting mobile devices and Mac computers.

The main talking point at this week's Geneva car show is likely to be a vehicle that may never be built: the Apple car. The world's automakers will gather in the Swiss city to tout their latest minivans, city cars and sport utility vehicles against an uncertain market backdrop, with growing signs of recovery in Europe offset by slowing demand in emerging markets.