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Microsoft Corp's $7.2 billion takeover of Nokia Oyj's handset business cost shareholders more than twice that as it dashed hopes for a fresh start under Steve Ballmer's successor.
The world's largest software company lost $18 billion in market value since the purchase of Nokia's mobile-phone assets was disclosed, erasing all of the gains that followed the announcement last month that Ballmer is retiring, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
