New Delhi, June 1 -- Indian consumer and retail firms are entering into more deals, but for sharply lower values, says Grant Thornton Bharat's Consumer and Retail Dealtracker for the March quarter of 2026. While the industry was on a winning streak after the pandemic, investors are now very picky.

War-led disruptions and inflationary pressures are making investors cautious on discretionary items, even as health-focused consumer deals seem resilient. Experts see the overall sectoral trend under pressure due to the macroeconomic challenges. Mint explains why.

During January-March, the sector saw 145 merger & acquisition and private equity (M&A and PE) deals, up from 139 a year ago, but the total value fell 63% to $1.4 billion. "Investors ...