Australian retail sales rose 0.4 per cent in April

Australian retail turnover rose 0.4 per cent in April 2018, seasonally adjusted, with cafes, restaurants and takeaways leading the rise assisted by an unusually warm April across much of Australia, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Retail Trade figures.

This follows a relatively unchanged result (0.0 per cent) in March 2018.

"Cafes, restaurants and takeaways (1.3 per cent) led the rises" said Ben James, Director of Quarterly Economy Wide Surveys, "whilst there were also rises in other retailing (0.9 per cent), food retailing (0.3 per cent) and household goods retailing (0.7 per cent). The rises were partially offset by falls in clothing, footwear and personal accessories (-0.8 per cent) and department stores (-0.9 per cent)."

"While industries including Cafes, restaurants and takeaways can benefit from warm weather, there were likely negative impacts for some businesses in clothing, footwear and personal accessories and department stores."

In seasonally adjusted terms, there were rises in New South Wales (0.7 per cent), Victoria (0.3 per cent), Western Australia (0.7 per cent), Queensland (0.1 per cent), the Northern Territory (2.6 per cent), Tasmania (0.9 per cent) and the Australian Capital Territory (0.6 per cent). South Australia (-0.6 per cent) fell in seasonally adjusted terms.