Retail sales in Australia fell in August, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) statement issued in the Asian session today, Tuesday, by -1.7. The closures due to the new Delta strain in Australia, especially in the two largest cities in Australia (Sydney and Melbourne), continue to affect the retail sector, which is worth 360 billion dollars and represents about 18% of Australian economic output, and the decline for the third month in a row.
Sales volume amounted to $29.275 billion in August, with the largest declines coming from the clothing, footwear and accessories sector by -15.7%, the cafes and ready-to-food services sector by -7%, the stores sector by -10.2%, and the retail household goods trade by -2.3%.
The Australian dollar against the US dollar recorded declines in the initial reaction to the statement, to test 0.7267 levels, before returning to rise, and it is now trading at 0.7301 levels.