INDUSTRY TRENDS


MONTHLY SEASONALLY ADJUSTED AND TREND ESTIMATES


TOTAL RETAIL

There has been no change in the trend for two months. Hospitality and services has had a decline in the trend estimate for four months. Household good retailing and Other retailing had no change in the trend estimate in April 2008. Food retailing (six months), Department stores (two months), Clothing and soft good retailing (five months) and Recreational good retailing (one month) have had weak growth.

FOOD RETAILING

There have been six months of weak trend growth. New South Wales has had a decline in the trend estimate for five months. Victoria (eight months), Western Australia (four months), Tasmania (one month) and the Northern Territory (two months) have had weak trend growth.

DEPARTMENT STORES

There have been two months of weak trend growth. New South Wales, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory have had at least one month of weak trend growth. Victoria and South Australia had no change in the trend estimate in April 2008, while Queensland has had four months of strong growth.

CLOTHING AND SOFT GOOD RETAILING

There has been weak trend growth for five months. Victoria (one month), South Australia (three months), Tasmania (two months) and the Northern Territory (one month) have had a decline in the trend estimate. New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia have had at least one month of weak trend growth.

HOUSEHOLD GOOD RETAILING

There was no change in the trend estimate in April 2008 after four months of the trend estimate being in decline. Victoria (two months), Queensland (six months), Western Australia (12 months) and the Australian Capital Territory (17 months) have had a decline in the trend estimate. New South Wales (six months) and the Northern Territory (one month) have had moderate trend growth.

RECREATIONAL GOOD RETAILING

The rate of growth in the trend estimate has been slowing from November 2007 with weak growth in April 2008.

OTHER RETAILING

There was no change in the trend estimate in April 2008. South Australia has had strong trend growth for 11 months. Victoria (five months), Queensland (four months) and Western Australia (one month) have had moderate trend growth, while New South Wales has had a decline in the trend estimate for three months.

TOTAL RETAIL (EXCLUDING HOSPITALITY AND SERVICES)

Over the last five months, the trend growth for Total retail (excluding Hospitality and services) has been higher than that for Total industries (including Hospitality and services).

HOSPITALITY AND SERVICES

There has been a decline in the trend estimate for four months. Victoria (four months), Queensland (eight months), Western Australia (six months), the Northern Territory (one month) and the Australian Capital Territory (two months) have had a decline in the trend estimate.