(MarketingVOX) Google's lead over Yahoo and Microsoft in the U.S. search market continues to increase, and the renamed Ask.com (formerly AskJeeves, in fifth place) has begun to increase its share, according to ComScore figures for February, reports CNET. Google's market share was 42.3 percent, compared with 36.3 percent a year earlier. Second-place Yahoo's search market share was 27.6 percent, down from 31.1 percent a year ago.

Third-place MSN's market share fell to 13.5 percent from 16.3 percent, and AOL's decreased to 8 percent from 8.9 percent. Ask.com, part of IAC Search & Media unit, increased to 6 percent from 5.3 percent.

In a research note, Merrill Lynch analyst Lauren Fine wrote that Google's "clear strategic focus on search will continue to provide a competitive advantage for the company over the next several months as leading competitors struggle to overhaul/improve their search platforms."

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