INDUSTRY TRENDS


MONTHLY SEASONALLY ADJUSTED AND TREND ESTIMATES


TOTAL RETAIL

There has been weak trend growth for four months. Food retailing (five months) and Department stores (two months) have had weak growth. Household good retailing (four months) and Hospitality and services (three months) have had a decline in the trend estimate, while Recreational good retailing has had nine months of strong growth.

FOOD RETAILING

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

DEPARTMENT STORES

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

CLOTHING AND SOFT GOOD RETAILING

There has been no change in the trend estimate for five months. Queensland (nine months) and Western Australia (four months) have had a decline in the trend estimate. Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory had no change in March 2008. South Australia (four months) and Tasmania (three months) have had moderate trend growth.

HOUSEHOLD GOOD RETAILING

There has been a decline in the trend estimate for four months. Queensland (five months), Western Australia (11 months) and the Australian Capital Territory (16 months) have had a decline in the trend estimate. Victoria (two months) and the Northern Territory (four months) have had no change in the trend estimate. New South Wales has had weak trend growth for two months.

RECREATIONAL GOOD RETAILING

There has been strong trend growth for nine months. Queensland (11 months), South Australia (three months), Western Australia (ten months) and the Northern Territory (six months) have had strong trend growth. After eight months of strong growth, New South Wales had moderate growth in March 2008.

OTHER RETAILING

After eight months of strong trend growth, there have been two months of moderate growth. Queensland (12 months) and South Australia (ten months) have had strong growth. New South Wales (one month) and Victoria (three months) have had weak growth.

TOTAL RETAIL (EXCLUDING HOSPITALITY AND SERVICES)

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

HOSPITALITY AND SERVICES

There has been a decline in the trend estimate for three months. Victoria (two months), Queensland (six months) and Western Australia (five months) have had a decline in the trend estimate. New South Wales has had three months of weak trend growth.