Paymark points to disappointing retail sales over Christmas

By Jenny Ruth Jan. 7 (BusinessDesk) - December retail sales using electronic cards were relatively flat, rising 1.2 percent by value compared with the 5 percent growth shown in the preceding 11 months. The 120.7 million transactions, up 2 percent, were worth more than $6 billion, but that value was held down by no growth at all in Auckland and Northland, according to Paymark, which accounts for more than 75 percent of the country's electronic transactions. The value of the Auckland and Northland transactions accounted for $2.4 billion,...