NATION

NATION

Tobacco companies win round in smokers’ lawsuit

NEW YORK — Tobacco companies have won a legal round over smokers who claim they were misled about the health effects of light cigarettes. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan overturned class-action status Thursday for a lawsuit seeking at least $200 billion on behalf of tens of millions of smokers.

The damages theoretically could go as high as $800 billion. The defendants, including Marlboro maker Philip Morris USA, its biggest U.S. rival, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., and other manufacturers, prefer trying each case on its own, saying circumstances for each smoker vary widely.

ITunes beats Wal-Mart in retail music sales

LOS ANGELES — Apple Inc. says a new consumer study shows its iTunes online music store vaulted past Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in February to become the top overall music retailer in the U.S. Apple said Thursday that consumer surveys conducted by market research firm The NPD Group show iTunes’ music sales surpassed those of the discount retailer in January and February. ITunes has sold more than 4 billion tracks since its launch in 2003, thanks in part to the popularity of its iPod portable music players.

Associated Press