FX.co ★ Australia Personal Spending Falls for First Time in 4 Months

Household spending in Australia fell by 1.1% month-on-month in April 2026, reversing a 1.6% increase in March and marking the first decline since December. Expenditure declined on food (-1.3% vs +1.7% in March), clothing (-2.2% vs +0.9%), furnishings and household equipment (-0.1% vs +1.5%), transport (-4.7% vs +5.4%), recreation (-0.2% vs +1.2%), and miscellaneous goods and services (-1.0% vs +1.4%). By contrast, spending increased on alcoholic beverages and tobacco (+0.3% vs -0.4%), health (+0.5% vs +0.4%), and hotels, cafes, and restaurants (+0.5% vs -0.9%). On a yearly basis, household spending rose 4.9%, slowing from a 6.2% increase in March, which had been the fastest annual growth rate since September 2023.