Seasonally adjusted retail sales grew by 0.5% in volume terms in the September quarter.
The headline number, however, disguises the underlying stress consumers are experiencing. Per capita retail sales are falling steeply.
The RBA is unlikely to act on this, however. Instead, it will focus on headline numbers like dwelling approvals, which have broken their recent downtrend.
Conclusion
A November rate cut remains unlikely.
Acknowledgments
- ABS: Retail Sales
- ABS: Building Approvals

Colin Twiggs is a former investment banker with almost 40 years of experience in financial markets. He co-founded Incredible Charts and writes the popular Trading Diary and Patient Investor newsletters.
Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis.
Focusing on interest rates and financial market liquidity as primary drivers of the economic cycle, he warned of the 2008/2009 and 2020 bear markets well ahead of actual events.
He founded PVT Capital (AFSL No. 546090) in May 2023, which offers investment strategy and advice to wholesale clients.