Stock Picks Today: Consumer Goods In Focus After GST Cuts; Voltas, Havells On Brokerages' Radar

Brokerages including CLSA, Jefferies, UBS, Morgan Stanley, Bernstein, and JPMorgan have issued commentary on the GST rate cut, highlighting a positive outlook for consumption-driven sectors.

Industrialist Harsh Goenka has called the recent Centre's decision to slash and rationalise Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates under the NextGen GST framework a "big Diwali gift" for every Indian.

GST Reforms: The revisions in GST rates on goods and services, excluding certain tobacco products, will come into force on September 22, 2025.

New GST Slabs: The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council on Wednesday approved a complete overhaul of India's tax consumption tax since its launch in 2017.

All revised GST rates will take effect from September 22, except for tobacco-related products, which will maintain current rates and cess until compensation-related loans are fully repaid.

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram has welcomed the Centre's recent GST rationalisation and rate cuts but criticised the move as being "8 years too late".

Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the GST reforms and called it a "historic decision" to cut tax rates.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu hailed the Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms approved by the GST Council as "pro-poor" and "growth-oriented".

Tax rate for key farming equipment such as drip irrigation system and sprinklers and their nozzles have been bumped down to 5%.

The GST revamp that slashes tax rates on goods and services into a simplified two-slab structure addresses deeper structural changes, prioritising the "real drivers of the economy", says Deloitte India.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced a sweeping reduction in Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates on a wide range of essential items, automobiles, agriculture inputs, and electronic appliances.

The heart of that answer lies with the rural economy.

The GST council has also approved a two-tier rate structure of 5% and 18%, replacing the existing four major slabs — 5%, 12%, 18%, and 28%.

The government's big move to rationalise the Goods and services Tax may not lead to a loss, Revenue Secretary Arvind Shrivastava told reporters this evening as the new, simplified tax slabs were announced.