India, Sept. 26 -- Every year, the festive months turn into a big test for consumer-facing businesses in India. Shoppers open their wallets wider, whether it's for a new car, gold jewellery, clothes, or home appliances. Lenders too see a jump in demand as EMI schemes make big purchases easier. This piece looks at five businesses, spread across different sectors, that could benefit from this seasonal rush and the spending patterns building up around it.

Maruti Suzuki Maruti Suzuki is basically the go-to name whenever festive car sales come up, and for good reason. It still commands the biggest chunk of India's passenger vehicle market, especially in the small and mid-size segments where most first-time buyers land up. Dealerships usually...