First it was Apple, once a minnow in the PC market, which blew past Microsoft in May 2010, hitting $227.26bn against Bill Gates's creation's $227.25bn.Now it is Google's turn, with its total share capital – and in effect the stock market's estimates of its total future profits – valued at $248.35bn against Microsoft's $247.73bn. It is also knocking on Walmart's door: even a slight rise in its value could put it third in the US listings.
By calculations on Monday evening, Apple is now the most valuable public company in the world ($626.87bn), with Google fourth and Microsoft fifth in a list that is dominated by technology companies.
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