CANBERRA: Retail sales volumes across Australia rose 2.5 percent in the December 2020 quarter, seasonally adjusted, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

This follows a 6.5 percent rise in the September quarter 2020, Stats says.

Noted Ben James, ABS’s director of quarterly economy-wide surveys: “The quarterly rise was driven by Victoria (12.8pc), as volumes recovered following Covid-19 restrictions from August to October.

“Without the Victorian rise, seasonally adjusted volumes would have fallen in the December quarter 2020.”

Overall, Australian retail turnover fell 4.1 per cent in December 2020, seasonally adjusted. This follows a rise of 7.1 percent in November.