REPEAT:MNI: Australia July Retail Sales Flat, Slow Start To Q3

Repeats Story Initially Transmitted at 01:48 GMT Sep 3/21:48 EST Sep 2

By Sophia Rodrigues

     SYDNEY (MNI) - Australia's retail sales was flat month-on-month in July,

marking a slow start to the third quarter after a strong rise in each of the

three months in the second quarter.

     Data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics Monday showed retail

sales was flat m/m in July, lower than MNI median forecast for a 0.3% rise. The

outcome follows a 0.4% rise in June.

     In trend terms, retail sales rose 0.3% m/m for five months in a row. This

was a slight slowing from 0.4% rise in the first two months of this year.

     The latest outcome was due to slowing in all categories of retail sales,

except other retailing which rose 1.7% in July versus a 0.2% rise in June.

     Household goods retailing fell 1.2%, marking the biggest fall since the

2.8% drop in December last year. Department stores continued their weak trend,

down 1.9% in July and has declined for five out of the last seven months this

year. 

     Food categories slowed in July, with food retailing up 0.3% versus a 0.4%

rise in June, and food services up 0.6% after a 0.8% rise.

     In trend terms, all categories of retail sales were up in July except

household goods retailing which was flat both in July and June, and was down

from a strong 0.7% rise at the start of the year.

     Below is table for retail turnover (current prices) for July:

                                                 July                       June

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                   (M/M %, seasonally         (M/M %, seasonally

                                            adjusted)                  adjusted)

Retail Sales                                      0.0         +0.4 (no revision)

MNI Median                  +0.1 (range -0.1 to +0.5)

Retail Sales (Trend)                             +0.3          +0.3(no revision)

Food Retailing                                   +0.3                       +0.4

Household Goods                                  -1.2                       +0.2

Clothing, Footwear etc                           -2.0                       +1.9

Department Stores                                -1.9                       -1.3

Other Retailing                                  +1.7                       +0.2

Cafes, Restaurants,

Takeaways                                        +0.6                       +0.8

--MNI Sydney Bureau; tel: +61 2-9716-5467; email: sophia.rodrigues@marketnews.com

[TOPICS: MTABLE]