Overall Australian retail turnover in March 2018 was relatively unchanged (0.0 per cent) in seasonally adjusted terms, following a 0.6 per cent rise in February 2018. Ben James, ABS Director of Quarterly Economy Wide Surveys, said: "While there was a rise in food retailing of 0.7 per cent in March 2018 all other industries fell - cafes, restaurants and takeaways (-0.8 per cent) led the falls, but other retailing (-0.6 per cent), household goods retailing (-0.3 per cent), department stores (-0.5 per cent) and clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (-0.2 per cent) also fell." In seasonally adjusted ... (full story)

Australia’s retail sales report for March has come in below expectations. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), sales were flat in seasonally adjusted terms, coming in below the 0.2% gain forecast by economists. February’s increase was left unchanged at 0.6%. “While there was a rise in food retailing of 0.7% in March all other industries fell,” said Ben James, ABS Director of Quarterly Economy Wide Surveys. “Cafes, restaurants and takeaways, at 0.8%, led the falls, but other retailing (0.6%), household goods retailing (0.3%), department stores (0.5%) and clothing, footwear and personal accessory ... (full story)