A Reuters report, citing three anonymous sources, says that the Federal Trade Commission is on the verge of launching an antitrust lawsuit against Google. "Four of the FTC commissioners have become convinced after more than a year of investigation that Google illegally used its dominance of the search market to hurt its rivals, while one commissioner is skeptical," Reuters reports.

Rumors of the FTC investigation surfaced last year. While the details of the investigation are secret, Reuters notes that several firms, including Yelp, have publicly complained about Google's business practices.

Last-minute negotiations between Google and the commission could avert a formal legal battle. But time is short. Jon Leibowitz, the chairman of the FTC, has stated that he expects to wrap up his investigation of the search giant before the end of the calendar year. Two of the sources who spoke to Reuters confirmed that the agency is still planning to make its decision before the new year.

The Reuters report was corroborated by The Hill. That publication reports that the FTC's investigation focuses on "whether Google manipulates its search results to ensure that its own services, such as YouTube, Google Maps, and Google Plus, appear above those of its rivals." It says an announcement on the subject is expected after the November elections.