Australian retail sales dim in December, but Q4 is bright
Online sales grow 6 per cent in original terms in December, after jumping 20 per cent in November
Sydney
AUSTRALIAN retail sales eased more than expected in December after a barnstorming couple of months, but still posted a smart rebound in the final quarter of 2017 in a positive sign for household consumption and economic growth.
Thursday's figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed retail sales eased 0.5 per cent in December, from November when they rose a solid 1.3 per cent led by Black Friday discounts. Economists polled by Reuters had predicted a 0.2 per cent fall.
TRENDING NOW
How BYD disrupted Singapore’s car market – and why the strategy is turning on itself
Two-thirds of Sentosa Cove resales in the red, with average loss topping S$1 million since 2023
AI infrastructure can lead South-east Asia’s next growth story: UOB
MAS eases family office tax rules, widens AML checks as Singapore vies for global wealth