Gold Prices Hold Near Seven-Week High as Markets Await U.S. Inflation Data 
Gold Price Hits Two-Month High as Investors Await US Inflation Data 
Gold Prices Rise as Fed Rate Hike Bets Ease 
Oil Prices Rise as US-Iran Talks Stall, Inflation Risks Grow 
S&P 500, Nasdaq Futures Rise as Iran Risks and CPI Loom 
Singapore Raises 2026 GDP Growth Forecast to 4.5%-5.5% as AI Boom Fuels Economy 
Singapore Raises 2026 GDP Growth Forecast as AI Demand Fuels Economy 
S&P 500, Nasdaq Slip as Oil Jumps on Iran Tensions 
Iran War Escalates as US, Houthis Target Ships Near Key Oil Routes 
Australia’s retail sales volume growth was disappointing in the September quarter, and the solid June quarter was revised down a little. A pronounced saw-tooth pattern in quarterly sales has been evident for some time.
The data showed a 0.4 percent pick-up in retail prices in the quarter and, at 1.1 percent y/y, the strongest annual result since early 2017. The monthly nominal data showed a small 0.2% rise. Interestingly, there were diverse outcomes in NSW and Victoria, suggesting the house price declines in Sydney are biting more than in Melbourne.
In September, sales of clothing and soft goods fell 1.2 percent m/m, reversing recent strong results. Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food retailing were the strongest category, rising by 0.5 percent m/m to take sales in this category up 3.7 percent in the year to September.
Meanwhile, there continues to be a small discrepancy between discretionary spending , which was only 2.9 percent higher y/y, and non-discretionary spending, which was 3.9 percent higher y/y. This suggests households continue to focus much of their increased spending on the necessities.
