Pearson has decided to keep FT Business as part of the Financial Times group.
The company says it has fielded 'many' bids for the specialist magazine division.
But it "has now concluded that FT Business is worth more as part of the FT Group than potential bidders were prepared to pay".
Pearson revealed it was seeking a buyer for FT Business in February.
The division publishes the Investors Chronicle, the Banker, Money Management and Financial Adviser.
Pearson appointed merchant bank Lazards to handle the proposed sale.
Bidders included a management buy-out team led by FT Group chief executive Stephen Hill, who resigned his post until the outcome of the auction was known.
Pearson has not identified any of the interested parties, but analysts believe they included Associated Newspapers, Emap, Incisive Media, Informa and Wilmington.
Venture capital firms Hg Capital and Apax Partners have also been named by analysts as potential bidders.
Analysts initially estimated the sale would fetch up to £70 million, but suggested offers were reduced to £50 million at best due to the continued downturn in advertising revenues and the weak subscriber market.