The value of electronic retail card transactions was up a seasonally adjusted 0.9 percent on month in August, Statistics New Zealand said on Friday - after slipping 0.,2 percent in July.
Spending in the core retail industries, which excludes automotive spending, increased 2.1 percent on month.
By spending category, the movements were: consumables, up NZ$18 million (0.7 percent); motor vehicles (excluding fuel) remained flat (0.0 percent); apparel, down NZ$1 million (0.2 percent); durables, down NZ$9 million (0.5 percent); and fuel, down NZ$17 million (2.8 percent).
On a yearly basis, electronic card sales surged 26.9 percent after sinking 0.5 percent in the previous month.
