FX.co ★ Australia Retail Sales Unexpectedly Drop

In April 2025, Australian retail sales experienced a slight decline of 0.1%, contrary to market forecasts predicting a 0.3% increase, which was also the growth rate observed in the previous month. This downturn marks the first decrease in retail turnover since December, largely influenced by more pronounced declines in sectors such as clothing, footwear, and personal accessory retailing, which fell by 2.5% compared to a 0.2% decline in March, and department stores, which also dropped by 2.5% as opposed to a 0.8% fall in the prior month. Food retailing saw a decrease of 0.3%, a reversal from the 0.8% gain previously recorded. Conversely, sales in household goods retailing improved by 0.6% after a 0.1% decrease, other retailing went up by 0.7% from a 0.8% rise, and cafes, restaurants, and takeaway food services saw a 1.1% increase compared to a 0.5% decline. Regionally, sales decreased in New South Wales (down by 1.0%), Victoria (down by 0.3%), South Australia (down by 0.1%), Tasmania (down by 0.3%), the Northern Territory (down by 0.2%), and the Australian Capital Territory (down by 0.7%), but sales rose in Queensland by 1.4% and in Western Australia by 0.4%. On an annual scale, retail sales experienced a 3.8% increase, slightly lower than the three-month high of 4.3% seen in March.