Nan Fang Du Shi Bao·2026-02-03 09:33Group 1 - On February 3, the A-share gaming sector experienced a dramatic V-shaped reversal, with companies like Century Huatong (002602 SZ) initially seeing stock declines due to rumors of increased taxes on internet value-added services, but later rebounding after the rumors were debunked [1] - During the morning session on February 3, several A-share gaming stocks fell, with Century Huatong dropping over 8%, while other companies like 37 Interactive Entertainment (002555 SZ) and Giant Network (002558 SZ) also saw declines. However, by the end of the day, the gaming sector index rose over 3% [1] - The initial drop in stock prices was attributed to rumors suggesting that the financial and internet value-added services, including in-game purchases and advertising, might be targeted for tax rate adjustments, similar to the liquor tax rates [1] Group 2 - On January 31, the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration announced adjustments to the VAT tax rates, increasing the rate for telecom services from 6% to 9%, which could impact the revenue and profits of telecom operators [2] - Various debunking messages emerged on February 3, clarifying that the definition of value-added telecom services excludes mobile data and broadband access services, and that the rumors about gaming tax rates aligning with liquor taxes were based on a misunderstanding of different tax types [3] - Game companies reported that they had not received any official documents regarding tax rate adjustments, and there were no recent meetings or discussions on the topic, indicating skepticism about the validity of the tax increase rumors [3]