Mon, 03 Sep 2012 08:31:23 GMT
Australian retail sales fall and profits decline
Retail sales in Australia unexpectedly fell in July at the fastest pace since 2010 and profits of companies declined for a third consecutive quarter, pushing the Australian Dollar to a 5-week low. Sales dropped 0.8% to A$21.4 billion, or $22 billion, from June, when they increased a revised 1.2%, the Bureau of Statistics reported today. Gross operating profits declined 0.7%