NZ spending on debit, credit cards rises in August, as retail sales advance

NZ spending on debit, credit cards rises in August, as retail sales advance
By Suze Metherell Sept. 10 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand spending on electronic cards rose in August for the fourth consecutive month, as spending across all retail sectors increased. Spending in core retail rose a seasonally adjusted 0.9 percent to $4 billion in August, accelerating from July's 0.6 percent gain, Statistics New Zealand said. On an annual basis, core retail spending rose 5.7 percent from August last year. The electronic cards data adds to a mixed picture for the New Zealand economy. Business, consumer and farmer confiden...