2020.08.0406:33:00UTC+00Australia's Retail Sales Growth Moderates

Australia's retail sales grew at a moderate pace in June, revised data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed Tuesday.

Retail turnover advanced 2.7 percent on a monthly basis in June, following a 16.9 percent increase in May. The rate was faster than the 2.4 percent increase estimated previously.

The June month saw the continued recovery of industries impacted by trading restrictions in April and early May," Ben James, Director of Quarterly Economy Wide Surveys, said.

There were large month-on-month rise of 27.9 percent in cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services and 20.5 percent increase in clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing.

In the June quarter, retail sales volume dropped 3.4 percent, reversing a 0.7 percent rise in the March quarter.

Despite monthly rises in May and June, the June quarter saw the largest fall in seasonally adjusted retail volumes since the introduction of the GST in the September quarter 2000, said James.

Another report from the statistical office showed that the trade surplus rose to A$8.2 billion in June from A$7.34 billion in May.

Exports climbed 3 percent from the previous month and imports gained 1 percent in June.

In the second quarter, the trade surplus increased to A$23.40 billion from A$19.23 billion in the three months to March.