The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said Diwali is just few days away but markets across the country wore a deserted look.
"Less footfall of the consumers in the markets. Acute (shortage of) cash liquidity is the main reason for slow down," CAIT National President B C Bhartia and Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said in a statement.
The trading community feared that sales this time may dip by about 30 per cent as compared to last year, it said.
Items like consumer durables, electronics, kitchen appliances, sweets, dry fruits, home decor, light fittings and garments are some of the business verticals which are worst affected, CAIT said.
It added that the slowdown is further multiplied by glitches in GST (Goods and Services Tax).
"Confusion still prevails to a great extent which is more bothering traders...Over and above most of the items related to festival are under bracket of 28 per cent tax rate which consumer is hesitating to pay," the traders' body said.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
