December retail sales from Australia, also the trade balance for that month due at the same time (on a separate post)

Retail Sales December -0.5% m/m ... big miss

  • expected -0.2% m/m
  • prior +1.2% m/m

Retail Sales excluding inflation for Q4 +0.9% q/q

  • expected +1%
  • prior +0.1%

The AUD has fallen on the trade balance miss and the retail sales miss. It had been falling overnight on the risk off moves (equity market plunge) so the further loss on the data has so far been small only. We've got the RBA to come (see links to previews, below).

Anyway, who cares much about Aussie data right now ... back to freaking out over the equity markets!

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Later - RBA at 0330 GMT: