Web Search Engine Ask Jeeves Issues Loss Warning

Ask Jeeves Inc. said its fourth-quarter loss will exceed forecasts and that its chief executive will step down. Its shares fell 43% in after-hours trading, after closing off 81 cents at $9.69 in regular Nasdaq trading before the announcement. The Emeryville, Calif.-based company said it expects a loss for the quarter of about 50 cents a share, rather than analysts’ average estimate of a 33-cent loss, in part because of a slowdown in Internet advertising. CEO Rob Wrubel will become executive vice president in charge of future product development. Board member A. George Battle will replace Wrubel as CEO on an interim basis.