Shares of cigarette maker Godfrey Phillips India surged over 6% on Thursday to hit Rs 2,635 on the BSE, extending a three-day winning streak that has pushed the stock up 31%.

The sharp rise follows media reports indicating that companies have raised prices to pass on higher costs to consumers. The price hikes are aimed at offsetting the recent excise duty increase, reducing the expected EBIT decline to around 2%, compared with earlier estimates of 8–15%.

Godfrey Phillips India has raised the price of Marlboro Compact from Rs 9.5 per stick to Rs 11.5 per stick, according to a news report. ITC is likely to raise cigarette prices by 20–40% across brands, with fresh shipments expected to reach the market soon. Retailers are also selling existing inventory at higher prices.

These developments follow the government’s notification ending the GST compensation cess and rolling out a new tobacco tax regime on February 1, as reported by ETNow.

Under the new framework, excise duties on cigarettes were restructured to a range of Rs 2,050 to Rs 8,500 per 1,000 sticks, alongside a 40% GST. This has materially raised the overall tax burden on cigarettes, triggering concerns over demand, margins, and the risk of increased illicit trade.

Adding to the unease is a technical change in the National Calamity Contingent Duty (NCCD) announced in the Budget.
The government raised the statutory NCCD rate on tobacco products from 25% to 60%, with effect from May 1, 2026. However, the Budget also clarified that the effective duty rate will continue at 25% through a notification, meaning there is no immediate increase in tax outgo for cigarette companies. In simple terms, this is not a tax hike today, but a future enabling provision. The government has created room to raise the duty later without changing the law again.Despite the recent rally, Godfrey Phillips share price is down over 10% since the beginning of the year. ITC, India’s largest cigarette maker, saw its share price edge marginally lower on February 19. VST Industries, on the other hand, rose 0.3%.

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Eight backcountry skiers were confirmed dead and a ninth remained missing and presumed dead Wednesday after a massive avalanche swept through their guided group in the Sierra Nevada mountains northwest of Lake Tahoe, marking the deadliest avalanche in modern California history and one of the worst in the United States in nearly half a century.

The tragedy unfolded Tuesday morning when a football-field-sized slide buried nine members of a 15-person party — 11 clients and four guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides — near Castle Peak and Frog Lake in Nevada County, about 10 miles north of Lake Tahoe. The group was on the final day of a three-day trek, having stayed at the Frog Lake huts since Sunday and heading back to the trailhead when the avalanche struck around 11:30 a.m.

Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said rescuers located the bodies of eight victims — seven women and one man, ranging in age from 30 to 55 — clustered relatively close together amid “pretty horrific” conditions of heavy snowfall, gale-force winds and low visibility. The ninth skier, whose identity and gender were not released, was presumed to have perished given the extreme weather, unstable snowpack and prolonged burial time.
Six survivors — five women and one man, also aged 30 to 55 — were rescued about six hours later, around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. They had built a makeshift shelter and were found with various injuries; two required hospital treatment, one released Tuesday night and the other expected to be discharged Wednesday.

The operation involved nearly 100 first responders from multiple agencies, who navigated treacherous terrain on skis and used avalanche beacons and cellphone signals to locate the group. Recovery efforts were hampered by ongoing blizzard conditions, with bodies still trapped under snow and additional avalanche risks preventing immediate extraction.

The Sierra Avalanche Center had issued a warning for the Central Sierra Nevada effective Tuesday through 5 a.m. Thursday, citing heavy new snow — up to 40 inches in nearby Soda Springs since Monday — combined with strong winds and unstable layers. The slide occurred on a north-facing slope at about 8,300 feet elevation, classified as D2.5 destructive size, capable of burying or killing people.

This incident surpasses previous deadly California avalanches, including the 1982 Alpine Meadows resort slide that killed seven and a 1911 event in Mono County that claimed eight lives. Nationally, it ranks as the deadliest since 1981, when 11 climbers died on Washington’s Mount Rainier, and the fourth-worst in U.S. history per records from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

The Castle Peak area, popular for backcountry recreation in the Tahoe National Forest, has seen frequent slides; the Sierra Avalanche Center documented at least 50 avalanches in the broader Lake Tahoe region since September 2025. A January 2026 slide nearby killed a snowmobiler.

Authorities have not released victim names pending family notifications. Blackbird Mountain Guides, a respected outfitter, has not commented publicly. The group was experienced, equipped with standard safety gear including beacons, probes and shovels, but officials emphasized that backcountry travel in high-risk conditions carries inherent dangers even with preparation.

Search efforts shifted to recovery mode Wednesday as weather remained severe, with forecasters warning of continued instability and potential for more slides. Nearby resorts like Sierra-at-Tahoe closed for the day due to the storm, which dumped over 5.5 feet of snow in recent days.

The incident highlights ongoing avalanche hazards amid a powerful West Coast winter storm system. Experts urge backcountry users to check forecasts, carry gear and travel in groups with communication plans. The National Avalanche Center reports 25-30 U.S. avalanche deaths annually on average, with California ranking eighth in fatalities since 1950.

As recovery continues under challenging conditions, officials expressed deep sorrow for the victims and support for survivors and families. The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office leads the investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies.

Operator

Thank you for standing by, and welcome to the APA Group 2026 Half Year Results. [Operator Instructions] I would now like to hand the conference over to Mr. Adam Watson, Managing Director and CEO. Please go ahead.

Adam Watson
CEO, MD & Director

Thank you, and good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining us for today’s first half FY ’26 results presentation. I’m joined by Garrick Rollason, our CFO, as well as our Investor Relations team.

Let me start by acknowledging the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, traditional custodians of the land on which I’m speaking. First Nations people have taken care of our lands and waterways for the past 60,000 years. We acknowledge and pay our respects to their elders, past and present.

As always, I’ll start today’s presentation with a safety share on Slide 4. To prepare for extreme weather conditions, we conduct a summer readiness program, including activities such as site clearing and weed prevention. I’m pleased to say that we haven’t had any weather-related customer impact so far this summer. I’d like to thank the APA operations team for the fantastic work they do to keep our people and our assets safe and to keep our customers’ operations going 24/7.

Suffice to say, we are very

Social media addiction is highly subjective since it depends on a person’s experience and emotional state. While this is true, the platform we use also contributes to the addiction that we feel, like in the case of Meta apps.

Earlier this week, Mark Zuckerberg testified before a Los Angeles jury, defending Meta Platforms against allegations that its social media platforms deliberately targeted young users and fostered addictive behavior.

The high-profile lawsuit, which also names YouTube as a defendant, could influence thousands of similar cases pending across the United States.

Meta is Allegedly Targeting Young Users Intentionally

At the center of the case are claims that Instagram and Facebook prioritized teen engagement despite internal research identifying potential mental health risks.

According to CNN, plaintiffs argue the company knowingly implemented strategies designed to increase time spent on its platforms, even as studies suggested negative effects on younger users.

Internal Research and Email Evidence

During cross-examination, attorneys presented internal emails and research reports indicating that company leaders closely monitored teen activity and explored ways to boost engagement.

A 2019 email questioned whether Meta’s enforcement of age restrictions was sufficiently rigorous, suggesting that weak oversight undermined claims that the company was doing everything possible to protect minors.

Another internal study reportedly found that some teens described feeling “hooked” on Instagram, with usage patterns resembling behavioral addiction.

Zuckerberg disputed the plaintiffs’ interpretation of the documents, arguing that the materials were taken out of context. He emphasized that certain internal findings also reflected positive user experiences and maintained that Meta has consistently invested in safety improvements.

The business tycoon reiterated that children under 13 are prohibited from using the platforms and account for only a minimal portion of advertising revenue.

Teen Growth Strategy and Engagement Metrics

BBC reported in another article that additional emails from 2015 and 2017 revealed discussions about prioritizing teen growth and increasing time spent on Meta’s platforms.

Zuckerberg acknowledged that earlier corporate goals emphasized engagement metrics but stated that the company has since shifted toward promoting healthier digital habits.

He highlighted safety tools introduced in 2018, including daily usage limits, notification controls, and parental supervision features. However, internal data presented in court suggested that adoption of these tools among teens remained relatively low.

Originally published on Tech Times

India Inc’s third-quarter earnings season has delivered a broadly steady performance, with early signs that operating pressures are easing after several quarters of margin stress. Market participants say improving earnings visibility could lend support to valuations, though caution persists given valuation dispersion and ongoing uncertainty around the artificial intelligence cycle.

Sharing his view on the quarter in an interview to ET Now, Amit Khurana from Dolat Capital said earnings largely held up against expectations and operating performance appears to be stabilising. He noted, “There were broadly three key trends that we observed for the current quarter. One, earnings held on pretty well in terms of the estimates versus actual delivery… Second, the operating performance has started finding bottoms… And finally, we are trending now towards mid-teens aggregate earnings… So, positive take on the earnings and as we go along the next few quarters this will only rebound further and give the much needed confidence and support to the valuations.”

On stock-specific developments, he said the ₹2,000-crore capex plan by Hindustan Unilever signals confidence in long-term demand, particularly in premium segments. “Capex from FMCG companies… reflects the structural demand that they are seeing over the next few years… HUL expansion especially given the size seems pretty meaningful and we stay positive on that… India is premiumizing fast and franchises which are able to position their products accordingly will probably have a market share sustenance or gains,” he said.

Khurana cautioned against reading too much into intermittent foreign inflows, saying concerns around India’s positioning in the AI wave and valuations remain. “AI wave everybody seems to be talking about it… But to your point on the FII buying… I am not very enthused with a few days of buying… And second, the valuations while they have turned relatively better are not outright cheap even now… one needs to be stock specific,” he said.

He added that domestic consumption continues to be a preferred theme, with a bottom-up approach guiding stock selection. He highlighted Marico as a preferred name, saying, “We have been pro-domestic consumption… We also are beginning to like staples… we have liked Marico… This is a market wherein you will have to do a real hard work of identifying the names… domestic consumption has been our favourite.”

On infrastructure, including developments around NCC Limited, Khurana said the sector has corrected due to slower order flows but fundamentals remain intact. “Infra stocks have taken a big beating… probably because of the slowdown of the NHAI order book… our channel checks are suggesting that this should eventually play out… Specific to NCC, we need to wait for the specific details,” he said.
Discussing the IT sector and developments at Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services, he said investors are awaiting clarity on disruption timelines and growth visibility. “The market will look for very strong evidence on two counts… how far is this disruption going to continue… and secondly, is the kind of opportunities which will come… In the interim… they will broadly be in the range,” he said.