South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Trump’s Inflation Claims Clash With Voters’ Cost-of-Living Reality 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Russian Stocks End Mixed as MOEX Index Closes Flat Amid Commodity Strength 
Gold and Silver Prices Slide as Dollar Strength and Easing Tensions Weigh on Metals 
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock 
South Africa Eyes ECB Repo Lines as Inflation Eases and Rate Cuts Loom 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Retail Sales Overview
Australian retail sales in November 2024 recorded monthly growth of 0.8%, short of the market's 1.0% estimate. It is, however positive since this reading shows that the retail sector remains under some strain, despite the fact that consumer confidence has stabilized. That said, the retail figure for October was revised to 0.5%, which further indicates that a general appreciation trend in retail sales is observed.
Impact of Major Shopping Events
One significant area where growth was fueled in November relates to consumer expenditure in shopping events, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. These two, separate days combine to have garnered nearly $7 billion in expenditure. Retail turn-over has arguably been gaining power steadily as consumers feel more willing to spend, mainly influenced by the conditions of the economy.
Sector performance and consumer sentiment
All retail sectors were growing, with department stores leading the way at 1.8%, clothing and footwear at 1.6%, and cafes and restaurants at 1.5%. Broad-based expansion points to consumers beginning to recover as cost-of-living pressures ease and wages increase.
Economic implication and future outlook
The retail data is very important for assessing the health of the economy of Australia and may influence monetary policy decisions by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). After recent inflation data, there is growing speculation about a potential rate cut, which illustrates how retail performance is interconnected with broader economic indicators. Overall, the retail sales growth is an encouraging sign as the economy continues to rebound.
