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New Delhi: Prices of essential medicines such as painkillers, antibiotics and anti-infectives will see a modest increase from April 1. In line with the annual change in the Wholesale Price Index, the government has allowed a 0.6% increase in prices of drugs under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM)."Based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) data provided by the office of the Economic Advisor, Department of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the annual change in WPI works out as (+)0.64956% during the calendar year 2025 over the corresponding period in 2024," said the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).The adjusted prices will cover more than 1,000 drugs on NLEM.Price changes for scheduled drugs are allowed once a year.The list of essential medicines includes drugs like paracetamol, antibiotics such as azithromycin used to treat bacterial infections, anti-anaemia medicines, vitamins and minerals. Some drugs used for treating moderately to severely-ill Covid-19 patients and steroids are also on the list.The marginal increase comes at a time when spiralling input costs due to the Iran war have severely squeezed sector margins, said a pharma industry executive.Prices of some key active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and solvents have risen substantially due to the ongoing war and this increase will hardly help, according to industry experts.For instance, prices of APIs have increased 30-35% on average in the past few weeks. The price of glycerine has surged 64%, while that of paracetamol has increased 25% and ciprofloxacin has turned 30% costlier. The price of packaging materials such as polyvinyl chloride and aluminium foil has also gone up 40%, said industry executives."Glycerine, propylene glycol, solvents used in every liquid preparation including syrups, oral drops and sterile preparations have become costlier. Prices of intermediates have also gone up substantially. Keeping this in view, we need a better hike and will present our case before the NPPA, a representative from a pharma lobby group said on condition of anonymity.

Smallcap counter Sammaan Capital - which was in news today after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cleared decks for Abu Dhabi-based International Holding Company (IHC) to acquire a controlling stake - witnessed a bulk deal where French multinational bank Societe Generale bought shares worth Rs 76 crore. In another major deal, ace investor Mukul Agrawal sold shares worth Rs 8 crore in a microcap Siyaram Recycling Industries, which had fallen 72%.Sammaan CapitalSociete Generale bought 50.6 lakh shares in Sammaan Capital at a price of Rs 149.92 per share. It was a premium of 8% over the Tuesday closing price of Rs 138.51 on the NSE. Today, its shares settled nearly 6% higher at Rs 146.30.The stock has been a market outperformer with 23% returns over a 1-year period and is currently trading above its 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages (SMAs) of Rs 145 and Rs 144, respectively, according to Trendlyne data. The acquisition of a 66.65% controlling stake will be made via Avenir Investment RSC, which is owned and controlled by IHC.Avenir Investment RSC proposed to invest nearly Rs 8,850 crore by the way of preferential issue. This is one of the largest investments by a Middle Eastern entity in India's financial services sector.After the completion of the preferential issue, Avenir Investment will hold nearly a 41.23% stake in the company, while the rest will be acquired through an open offer, Sammaan Capital, formerly called Indiabulls Housing Finance, said in an exchange filing. Siyaram Recycling IndustriesMukul Agrawal sold 21 lakh shares via a separate bulk deal where the buyer was Param Value Investments. The shares were purchased at a price of Rs 38.20 apiece, a 4.3% premium over the Tuesday closing price of Rs 36.64.Today, its shares settled at Rs 38.28, up by Rs 1.64 or 4.5% over the last closing price.Agrawal held 22 lakh shares representing 10.10% stake in the company according the September shareholding data on the BSE.The stock price has seen a 72% erosion in the past year.(Disclaimer: The recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times.)

Yaounde: The war in the Middle East could cause the "worst industrial crisis in living memory", the head of the International Chamber of Commerce warned Wednesday."The head of the International Energy Agency has warned that the world is facing an energy crisis more severe than the oil shocks of the 1970s," said John Denton.Also Read: In Iran war, cheap drones remain wild card"From a business perspective, we believe this could yet become the worst industrial crisis in living memory -- not only because of surging energy prices, but because industrial production itself is being disrupted and dislocated by shortages of gas and other essential inputs".Also Read: 'Gone too far,' most Americans say on Iran attacksDenton was speaking on the eve of the meeting of World Trade Organization ministers in Yaounde.