Apparel retailers, restaurants, banks, construction companies all saw a rise in sales and orders, as the country geared up for the first pandemic-free festive season in two years. Reuters Graphics"There is definitely a festive boost which cannot be denied and which is reflected in earnings performance," said Vivek Kumar, economist at Mumbai-based QuantEco Research. "There was also some comfort on input prices moderating in the quarter, and a boost from pent-up demand. read moreNair said he expects sales in the festive quarter to top pre-pandemic levels. State Bank of India (SBI) (SBI.NS), the country's largest lender, reported record quarterly profit and forecast credit growth to remain in double-digits.

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