Microsoft is buying the professional social network LinkedIn for $26.2 billion (£18.5bn) in one of the biggest technology deals in history. The news, announced on Monday afternoon, instantly sent LinkedIn’s share price soaring by 50 percent in pre-market trading. The deal will be the biggest in Microsoft’s history. Microsoft’s shares fell 3.5 percent on the news. Microsoft said LinkedIn boss Jeff Weiner would stay in charge and report to Satya Nadella.