INDUSTRY TRENDS


MONTHLY SEASONALLY ADJUSTED AND TREND ESTIMATES


TOTAL RETAIL

There has been moderate trend growth for 24 months. Food retailing (31 months), Clothing and soft good retailing (20 months) and Household good retailing (22 months) have had moderate to strong growth. Recreational good retailing (four months) and Other retailing (five months) have had strong growth, while Department stores have had three months of weak growth.

FOOD RETAILING

After five months of strong trend growth, there was moderate growth in October 2007. Queensland (21 months) and South Australia (four months) have had strong trend growth. New South Wales, Western Australia and the Northern Territory have had two months of moderate trend growth. Prior to this they had two, four and 11 months of strong growth respectively.

DEPARTMENT STORES

The trend growth has been weak for three months. After five months of weak trend growth, Victoria had moderate growth in October 2007. In New South Wales the trend has been flat for two months.

CLOTHING AND SOFT GOOD RETAILING

There has been four months of moderate trend growth following four months of strong growth. Victoria (16 months), South Australia (six months), Western Australia (four months), the Northern Territory (one month) and the Australian Capital Territory (12 months) have had strong trend growth. Queensland has had a decline in the trend estimate for four months.

HOUSEHOLD GOOD RETAILING

There has been moderate trend growth for eight months. New South Wales (four months), Queensland (three months) and the Northern Territory (12 months) have had strong growth. Western Australia (six months) and the Australian Capital Territory (11 months) have been in decline.

RECREATIONAL GOOD RETAILING

There has been strong trend growth for four months. New South Wales (four months), Victoria (three months), Queensland (five months) and Western Australia (five months) have had strong trend growth, while South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory have had a decline in the trend for at least four months.

OTHER RETAILING

There has been five months of strong trend growth. New South Wales (seven months), Victoria (four months), Queensland (eight months) and South Australia (five months) have had strong trend growth.

TOTAL RETAIL (EXCLUDING HOSPITALITY AND SERVICES)

Over the last two months, the trend growth for Total retail (excluding Hospitality and services) has been slightly stronger than Total industries (including Hospitality and services).

HOSPITALITY AND SERVICES

There has been moderate trend growth for ten months. South Australia (nine months) and Tasmania (eight months) have had strong growth. New South Wales has had weak trend growth for four months, while Western Australia has had a decline in the trend for six months.