Australia: Retail sales continues to grow in February
Retail sales increased 1.8% in month-on-month seasonally-adjusted terms in February, following January’s 1.6% increase.
The headline reading reflected expansions in department stores; clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing; cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services; and household goods retailing. This more than offset drops in food retailing and other retailing.
In annual terms, retail sales expanded 9.1% in February, following the 5.8% increase logged in January. Meanwhile, annual average growth in retail sales improved to 5.2% in February from 4.9% in January.