Bankers have dismissed suggestions that Google could launch a successful online share auction to retail investors independently of Wall Street if it goes ahead with an initial public offering (IPO). A US head of equity capital markets said: "People don't give a damn about these kind of gimmicks. Investors need the aftermarket service."

However, a US banker said: "If the founders of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, intend to sell off the company for billions of dollars through the internet, they are likely to be less concerned with how the shares trade in the aftermarket."