ABS RETAIL TRADE, AUSTRALIA, Jan 2013  

As Retail Trade is a good guide to consumer spending and consumer sentiment, I know this is of interest to the Queensland turf industry. It is extremely positive on the back of recoveries overseas in the USA and Asia that effect our economy. Europe remains under review. The main issue is that we need to remember is this is the Christmas spending period and the back-to-school spending but still positive heading into 2013.  I have said previously that Spring 2013 should see a good turnaround for the Queensland turf industry and I stick with that based on various market intelligence, political movements (Fed election) and data available from various well recognised sources. Other indicators are the ‘All Ordinaries Index’ finally reaching above 5000 (share market gauge) and the exchange rate falling back close to parity with the USA which will affect our exports and hopefully tourist attraction.

Supporting this in January, 6 of the 8 states and territories experienced an increase for new motor vehicle sales when comparing January 2013 with December 2012.  It is still early days in the recovery.

JANUARY 2013 KEY POINTS

CURRENT PRICES

• The trend estimate rose 0.1% in January 2013. This follows a relatively unchanged December 2012 (0.0%) and a relatively unchanged November 2012 (0.0%).
• The seasonally adjusted estimate rose 0.9% in January 2013. This follows a fall of 0.4% in December 2012 and a fall of 0.2% in November 2012.
• In trend terms, Australian turnover rose 2.5% in January 2013 compared with January 2012.
• The following industries rose in trend terms in January 2013: Food retailing (0.2%), Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (0.5%) and Department stores (0.4%). Household goods retailing (-0.2%), Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (-0.1%) and Other retailing (-0.1%) fell in trend terms in January 2013.
• The following states and territories rose in trend terms in January 2013: Queensland (0.3%), Victoria (0.1%), Tasmania (0.5%) and the Northern Territory (0.6%). Western Australia (0.0%) and New South Wales (0.0%) remained relatively unchanged. South Australia (-0.2%) and the Australian Capital Territory (-0.2%) fell in trend terms in January 2013.