NZ retail spending on credit, debit cards rises 0.4 percent in July, core retailing weak

NZ retail spending on credit, debit cards rises 0.4 percent  in July, core retailing weak
Aug. 9 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand retail spending on credit, debit and charge cards rose in July, though the gain was almost entirely driven by spending on fuel, while core retailing dropped for the first time in four months. Total retail billings rose 0.4 percent, seasonally adjusted, in July, while growth in spending for June was revised down to 1 percent from 1.1 percent, according to Statistics New Zealand. Excluding fuel, core retail transactions fell 0.7 percent, mainly reflecting weaker apparel sales. July data may not be enough in i...