iPhone 6 boosts Australia Sept retail sales

Sydney

AUSTRALIAN retail sales expanded at the fastest pace in 19 months in September as consumers went on a buying frenzy for Apple's new phones, giving a sizable boost to the entire economy in the process.

The upbeat data helped offset revised figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) which showed that employment was softer than first reported over August and September combined. Retailers saw sales jump 1.2 per cent in September, the biggest gain since February last year and far above forecasts of only a 0.4 per cent increase.