The article highlights a slowdown in market activity due to a surge in prices for various consumer goods such as sugar, natural oils, pasta, dairy products, eggs, and spices. Consumers are delaying purchases as essential items like beans, mulli, and flour have seen price increases for a month, while items like rice have remained stable. Notable price hikes include pasta, frying pans, corn oil, beans, flour, and molasses, alongside significant increases in the cost of cumin, black pepper, and cabbage. However, prices for some staples like loose and packaged rice, fava beans, sauce, beans, and cowpeas have remained stable.