Australian retail sales rose 0.3% in January, as consumer spending picked up amid easing inflation and tax cuts.

• rebounding from a 0.1% decline in December,
• the January increase, reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), was in line with analysts’ expectations.

On an annual basis, retail sales were up 3.8%

• ABS highlighting food-related spending as a key driver of the January increase.

The data suggests that consumer demand remains resilient, though broader economic conditions and future interest rate movements will likely influence spending patterns in the coming months.