Malaysia’s FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI Index rose for a third day, climbing 6.17, or 0.4 percent, to 1,523.61 at the 12:30 p.m. lunch break, heading for the highest close since Nov. 10. British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Bhd. (ROTH MK), the nation’s largest tobacco company, rose 1.4 percent to 45.52 ringgit. Sales of illegal cigarettes in Malaysia fell in the three months to August to account for 36.7 percent of total industry sales in the cou ... Jump to full article >>

A U.S. trial judge on Monday questioned whether a British American Tobacco PLC (BTI, BATS.LN) subsidiary remained subject to her landmark 2006 racketeering ruling against the tobacco industry. U.S. District Court Judge Gladys Kessler suggested that new legal precedent by the U.S. Supreme Court may upend her previous decision that British American Tobacco (Investments) Ltd. was liable under U.S. racketeering laws. Kessler told U.S. government law ... Jump to full article >>

The international cigarette maker “Marlboro” will introduce on the Bulgarian market cigarette boxes with 10 pieces each, instead of the common 20. The information is listed in the tobacco products registry of the Finance Ministry. The brands “Red” and “Gold” will cost BGN 2.70 compared to BGN 5.20 for the 20-pack. “Philip Morris Bulgaria” told the daily “Dnevnik” they are generally agai ... Jump to full article >>

British American Tobacco Plc’s Ugandan unit may boost output by 29 percent next year as it controls pests and diseases that destroyed the crop this year, the company said. Output in the 12 months through December may climb to 18,000 metric tons in 2011, from a projected 14,000 tons this year, Solomon Muyita, the corporate and regulatory affairs coordinator at BAT Uganda Ltd., said today in an e-mailed response to questions from the capital, Ka ... Jump to full article >>

A prominent research firm has apologised over a tobacco survey which some see as an attempt to recruit new smokers. For British American Tobacco, Colmar Brunton pitched the survey to 10,000 people, saying that depending on their answers, they may be asked to join a study in which they would be given cigarettes to smoke. They would also be given $40 and 20 Fly Buys points to cover the cost of any expenses. The Ministry of Health has contacted Co ... Jump to full article >>

Every cigarette packet these days carries a dire health warning – but British American Tobacco (JSE:BTI) CEO Paul Adams has no doubts about the health of his company. In the annual report on one of the JSE’s biggest market caps (R507.5bn) Adams writes: “I look forward to many successful years for our business.” Never mind the slings and arrows of the anti-tobacco lobby and the worst recession since the 1930s, BAT managed ... Jump to full article >>

A North Korea desperate for foreign exchange has been generating hard currency by re-exporting British cigarettes, despite renewed efforts by the international community to apply tougher sanctions on the impoverished state. North Korean and other Asian trading entities started re-exporting State Express 555 cigarettes, manufactured by British American Tobacco, in February last year, just months before North Korea’s second nuclear test in f ... Jump to full article >>

Philip Morris International shouldn’t be too negatively affected by Japan’s proposal to raise taxes on tobaccco, according to Stifel Nicolaus. The proposed legislation includes a tax increase of 70 yen (76 cents) per pack and is accompanied by a 5 yen per cigarette or 100 yen per pack increase in the market, writes Stifel Nicolaus in a note. If the legislation goes through and the full price of 100 yen per pack of cigarettes is enact ... Jump to full article >>

A NSW Court of Appeal judge has found British American Tobacco caused ”a real risk of a diminution of public confidence in the administration of justice” by attempting to remove a judge hearing a cancer compensation case against it. Upholding the challenge would have created a public perception that the company had ”manipulated the system in the hope of obtaining a more favourable outcome from a different judge”, said Jus ... Jump to full article >>

Yushchenko accused of doing tobacco industry’s bidding. Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko (left) shakes hands with a representative of international tobacco giant British American Tobacco during a Nov. 24 visit to the company’s production plant in Chernihiv Oblast’s Pryluky. The visit follows a controversial veto by Yushchenko of legislation that would have hiked the excise tax on tobacco products. Ukraine’s cigarettes are among the ... Jump to full article >>