Yahoo recently launched a beta version of a freshly designed Yahoo! Finance site that features a blue-themed background with smaller tabs, stock summaries across the top, and large images with top stories [ see the current look below ].

In August, Yahoo! Finance released an iPad app [ see our story here ] and in February, a new design for stock portfolios that also made it easier to create and modify them.

But Yahoo! Finance's last significant homepage update in the U.S. came in 2006 when it added interactive stock charts, improved message boards and video to compete with Google's then new Google Finance product (the Hong Kong version got a refresh in August 2010).

As a recent LAUNCH editorial noted, one of Yahoo Finance's strongest assets is its original video content, in particular a show with Business Insider founder Henry Blodget. LAUNCH founder Jason Calacanis has also suggested that Yahoo buy Business Insider.

LAUNCH Blog