hn Investment Research Conference in New York. Microsoft's nine-person board, including Chairman and co-founder Bill Gates, supports Ballmer, a source close to the board told Reuters on Thursday. Microsoft -- the largest U.S. company by market value in the late 1990s -- has been overtaken by Apple Inc and International Business Machines Corp in market value, and is no longer seen as a dominating force in technology after a failure to capitalize on Internet and mobile markets. Before Thursday's gain, the stock had been down 6 percent in the past two weeks after Microsoft agreed to pay $8.5 billion for Internet phone service Skype, a move that mystified many investors. Einhorn said it was time for Microsoft to consider strategic alternatives for its money-losing online business, which has so far failed to win share from Google Inc. "Clearly, some people are calling for a change," said Sid Parakh, analyst with McAdams Wright Ragen. "If you look at the financial performance, that's been fine. But I think the issue is broader than that. "If you look at search, mobile, tablet, these are areas they should have been investing in, and they have -- but they weren't able to get it right," he added. But: "If there was any reason to believe the board was not with Steve, it would be a different situation. But the board seems to be behind Steve." IT'S ON The online services unit, which runs the Bing search engine and MSN Web portal, had a loss of $726 million last quarter and has now lost $7 billion in four years. "What it boils down to is that Microsoft has had a load of initiatives which haven't shown traction yet," said one U.S. equity fund manager at an investment house featuring on ifferent face to the Republican juggernaut created by last fall's midterm election. "This is not Wisconsin," Snyder told hundreds of Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council union members, referring to the furious confrontations earlier this year over Republican Gov. Scott Walker's conservative proposals for state budget cuts. Since winning election last November, Snyder has met with leaders from more than 15 unions, including the Michigan Education Association, United Auto Workers, the Carpenters' union and the Michigan AFL-CIO, according to Snyder communications director Geralyn Lasher. There have been many other meetings with his staff. The talk is low-key even if the actions aren't. With a state unemployment rate over 10 percent and inflation-adjusted general fund revenues at 1960s levels, Snyder has pushed to sharply cut Michigan's government costs and overhaul the tax structure to attract business to the state. He has had the advantage of a GOP-controlled Senate and House and public alarm about the battered economy. But his proposals have come as a jolt to a state with a strong labor tradition. Snyder pushed the Legislature to give special "financial managers" new powers to cancel union contracts and cut costs in financially troubled cities and school districts. No other Republican governor has attempted such a tactic. He's also asked state workers for $145 million in concessions and cut hundreds of millions of dollars in spending on public schools, universities and local governments. Those actions will lead to layoffs, pay cuts and health insurance premium increases by local authorities. Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, for instance, has demanded the city's 48 unions agree to a 20 percent reduction in health care costs. In an overture to business, Snyder on Wednesday signed a sweeping tax proposal that ultimately will cut business taxes by $1.7 billion. The measures rival what Walker and new Republican Gov. John Kasich of Ohio have attempted in their states with more rhetorical flourish and forceful methods. Those governors have run into legislative obstacles — and in Walker's case, a lawsuit and recall efforts. An attempt to recall Snyder is under way but considered unlikely to get on the November ballot since more than 800,000 signatures must be collected. Michigan union leaders and Democrats stress they understand what Snyder is doing. He's "using the national playbook," said Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer. "Walker rams through the front door and Governor Snyder's sneaking in the back door when you're talking about collective bargaining and really disadvantaging working people in our state." Hundreds of Ford Motor Co. workers booed Snyder's appearance at a Detroit-area assembly plant in March. At a Capitol rally that drew close to 5,000 last month, Herb