The total value of retail sales in Australia climbed a seasonally adjusted 0.7 percent in November compared to the previous month, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday - coming in at A$22.458 billion.
The headline figure beat forecasts for an increase of 0.4 percent and also accelerated from the 0.5 percent gain in October.
By individual industry, cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services were up 1.1 percent, along with other retailing (0.9 percent), food retailing (0.3 percent), clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (1.2 percent), department stores (0.5 percent) and household goods retailing (0.1 percent).
By region, sales in New South Wales were up 0.6 percent, along with Victoria (0.7 percent), Queensland (0.4 percent), Western Australia (0.4 percent), South Australia (0.3 percent), Tasmania (0.8 percent), the Australian Capital Territory (0.5 percent) and the Northern Territory (0.6 percent).
Through the year, Australian retail turnover rose 4.6 percent in November, seasonally adjusted.
Also on Thursday, the ABS said that the total number of building approvals issued in Australia was down a seasonally adjusted 1.5 percent on month in November, coming in at 16,396.
That missed forecasts for a decline of 1.0 percent following the 1.8 percent contraction in October.
On a yearly basis, approvals surged 22.2 percent - topping expectations for a jump of 21.1 percent following the 23.1 percent spike in the previous month.
Approvals for private sector houses added 6.0 percent on month and 18.0 percent on year to 8,809. Approvals for private sector dwellings excluding houses fell 9.7 percent on month and spiked 27.6 percent on year to 7,315.
The seasonally adjusted estimate of the value of total building approved fell 3.2 percent in November after rising for four months.
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