Business
Commercial LPG Cylinder Pricing Reflects International Benchmark Pricing: Govt
Amid reports of a Rs 111 increase in the price of commercial LPG cylinders, the Government on Thursday said that commercial LPG prices are market-determined and directly linked to international benchmarks. Any revision in commercial LPG prices reflects changes in global LPG prices and related costs, while domestic LPG prices for household consumers remain unchanged, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas said.
The ministry said that India imports around 60 per cent of its total LPG requirement. As a result, domestic LPG pricing is linked to international prices, with Saudi Contract Price (CP) acting as the global benchmark. “Accordingly, revisions in commercial LPG prices reflect movements in global LPG prices and associated costs. The prices of domestic LPG remains unchanged,” the ministry added.
While the average Saudi CP increased by about 21 per cent from $ 385 per metric tonne in July 2023 to $ 466 per metric tonne in November 2025, domestic LPG prices in India were actually reduced by around 22 per cent during the same period.
The price came down from Rs 1103 in August 2023 to Rs 853 in November 2025. To protect household consumers, the effective price of a 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder, which costs around Rs 950, is being provided at Rs 853 for non-PMUY consumers in Delhi.
For beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), the effective price is even lower at Rs 553. This marks a reduction of nearly 39 per cent for PMUY consumers, compared to Rs 903 in August 2023, highlighting the Government’s focus on ensuring continued access to clean cooking fuel for economically weaker sections. There has been no change in these prices.
For the financial year 2025–26, the Government has approved the continuation of a targeted subsidy of Rs 300 per domestic LPG cylinder for PMUY beneficiaries, covering up to nine refills per year.
An expenditure of Rs 12,000 crore has been approved for this purpose — reinforcing the commitment to affordable clean energy for households.
Despite a rise in international LPG prices during 2024–25, the increased cost was not passed on to domestic consumers. This resulted in losses of about Rs 40,000 crore for Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).
Business
Netflix grants Warner Bros. Discovery 7-day waiver to reopen deal talks with Paramount Skydance
Warner Bros. Discovery on Tuesday said it will reopen deal talks with Paramount Skydance under a seven-day waiver from Netflix to explore “deficiencies” in Paramount’s offer to buy the entirety of WBD.
The legacy media company has a pending transaction with Netflix for its streaming and studio businesses. Paramount launched a hostile tender offer straight to WBD shareholders at $30 per share after losing out to Netflix in a bidding war.
“Netflix has provided WBD a limited waiver under the terms of WBD’s merger agreement with Netflix, permitting WBD to engage in discussions with Paramount Skydance (“PSKY”) (NASDAQ: PSKY) for a seven-day period ending on February 23, 2026 to seek clarity for WBD stockholders and provide PSKY the ability to make its best and final offer,” Warner Bros. Discovery said in a release.
“During this period, WBD will engage with PSKY to discuss the deficiencies that remain unresolved and clarify certain terms of PSKY’s proposed merger agreement,” it said.
Paramount leadership has repeatedly said its $30 per share, all-cash offer is not its “best and final.” Last week the company sweetened its offer with additional “enhancements,” but stopped short of raising the per-share value.
Warner Bros. Discovery said Tuesday that a senior Paramount representative informed a WBD board member that it would pay $31 per share if deal talks were to reopen.
Tune in at 4:30pm ET as Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos joins CNBC TV. Watch in real time on CNBC+ or the CNBC Pro stream.
After the limited waiver period, Netflix will retain its matching rights provided by the merger agreement, WBD said.
“Throughout the entire process, our sole focus has been on maximizing value and certainty for WBD shareholders,” said WBD CEO David Zaslav in a statement. “Every step of the way, we have provided PSKY with clear direction on the deficiencies in their offers and opportunities to address them. We are engaging with PSKY now to determine whether they can deliver an actionable, binding proposal that provides superior value and certainty for WBD shareholders through their best and final offer.”
WBD also on Tuesday announced a special meeting of shareholders will be held on March 20 and said its board continues to unanimously recommend the Netflix deal over Paramount’s offer.
Netflix said in a statement the shareholder meeting date marked an “important milestone for our transaction with WBD.”
“While we are confident that our transaction provides superior value and certainty, we recognize the ongoing distraction for WBD stockholders and the broader entertainment industry caused by PSKY’s antics,” Netflix said. “Accordingly, we granted WBD a narrow seven-day waiver of certain obligations under our merger agreement to allow them to engage with PSKY to fully and finally resolve this matter.”
Shares of Warner Bros. Discovery were up about 3.5% Tuesday. Shares of Paramount were up about 6%.
Raising regulatory concerns
Either proposed purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery assets comes with regulatory questions.
Media industry insiders and lawmakers have questioned whether Netflix’s proposed deal would win approval as it would bring together two of the top streaming services and could result in higher prices for consumers.
Netflix leadership has repeatedly said the company believes it would win regulatory approval for the deal because it would preserve jobs in a challenged media landscape rife with layoffs.
Paramount has sounded the alarm to WBD shareholders, however, and argues its offer is not only better but would more easily garner government support.
On the flipside, Paramount’s offer has raised questions of foreign funding and antitrust considerations in bringing together two large portfolios of pay TV channels and two major film studios.
Paramount’s deal is financed in part by sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; and Qatar. Paramount has said those entities have agreed to forgo any governance rights.
In its statement on Tuesday, Netflix called out the foreign funding, which it said it expects to come under scrutiny from international regulators, including the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Netflix said it also expects European authorities “to scrutinize the Middle Eastern investors in PSKY’s consortium and to be skeptical of claims that they are purely passive investors.”
Given Europe’s track record of antitrust enforcement, it’s possible regulatory battles for either deal would be won or lost in that market. Of course, the question still looms of how President Donald Trump will view either transaction. Trump recently said he hadn’t been involved in the process so far and didn’t plan to be, though he has reportedly met with executives from each camp.
Netflix’s statement on Tuesday “unsurprisingly points to a number of arguments Netflix believes it has in its favor,” according to an analyst note from Raymond James on Tuesday, “including better prospects for approval, a clearer national security picture, and financial security.”
India-Europe Flight Network: Air India and the Lufthansa Group recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to form a joint business partnership. The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation between Air India, its subsidiaries such as Air India Express, and Lufthansa Group carriers, including Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Lufthansa, and SWISS.
Through this partnership, the two companies aim to enhance flight connections and travel experiences between India and Europe on a single ticket. The move follows the recent completion of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement. The airlines plan to collaborate on route planning, flight schedules, and marketing to make travel more convenient. They also intend to coordinate frequent flyer programs and IT systems.
Carsten Spohr, Chairman and CEO of the Lufthansa Group, said the agreement marks a new phase in aviation between the two regions. He stated, “Together with Air India, we will strengthen our access to the aviation market with the highest growth rates worldwide.”
Air India, in a statement, said it is expanding its fleet and services following its privatisation in 2022. The airline views this cooperation as a way to support growing trade and travel ties. Campbell Wilson, CEO and Managing Director of Air India, noted that the framework allows both companies to explore closer cooperation on multiple levels. He said, “This would unlock greater value for our common customers and respective shareholders, and we look forward to progressing these initiatives together with the Lufthansa Group.”
The two airline groups already collaborate through the Star Alliance and existing codeshare agreements. Currently, they operate 145 routes connecting 15 cities in India with 29 cities in Europe. The new agreement will initially focus on traffic between India and the Lufthansa Group’s home markets of Germany, Austria, Belgium, Italy, and Switzerland, with plans to expand to the rest of Europe and the Indian subcontinent later.
Economic data shows that the EU is India’s largest trading partner for goods, with bilateral trade exceeding 120 billion euros in 2024. Together, India and the European Union represent nearly 25 percent of global Gross Domestic Product. The airlines believe that improved aviation links will further strengthen these economic relations. Final details of the partnership, including specific routes, will be announced after the companies obtain the necessary regulatory and anti-trust approvals.
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Under Section 80C, investors can claim a tax deduction of up to Rs 1.5 lakh in a financial year by investing in a tax-saving FD
One of the key conditions attached to this investment is the mandatory lock-in period of 5 years. (representative image)
A tax-saving fixed deposit (FD) continues to be a popular investment option for individuals seeking a safe avenue to grow their money while reducing their tax burden. The scheme offers dual benefits, capital protection along with tax deductions under the Income Tax Act.
Under Section 80C, investors can claim a tax deduction of up to Rs 1.5 lakh in a financial year by investing in a tax-saving FD. In addition to the tax benefit, these deposits currently offer interest rates of up to around 7%, making them an attractive choice for those looking for stable and assured returns without exposure to market risks.
However, the tax advantage applies only to those who file their income tax returns under the old tax regime. Individuals opting for the new tax regime cannot claim deductions under Section 80C for investments made in tax-saving FDs. Financial planners advise investors to assess their tax planning strategy before committing funds.
One of the key conditions attached to this investment is the mandatory lock-in period of 5 years. During this period, the deposited amount cannot be withdrawn. The restriction is often viewed as a discipline-enforcing feature for long-term savers.
Premature withdrawal is not permitted; if the deposit is broken before completing 5 years, the investor may face penalties and will also lose the tax benefits. The withdrawn amount would then be treated as income in that financial year and taxed accordingly.
Tax-saving FDs also do not offer loan or overdraft facilities against the deposit. In case the account holder passes away, the nominee is allowed to withdraw the amount before maturity.
While the principal investment qualifies for tax deduction, the interest earned is not fully tax-free. If the annual interest exceeds Rs 40,000 or Rs 1 lakh in the case of senior citizens, banks deduct tax at source (TDS) at the time of payment. Despite this, the scheme remains appealing to conservative investors because it guarantees returns at maturity and shields savings from market volatility.
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