Retail

Premier Mark McGowan says international factors are driving inflation, after Perth prices rose 7.4 per cent in the year to June, Australia’s highest rate.

Moves to lift the official cash rate show no sign of slowing, with the Reserve Bank indicating interest rates will need to be much higher to stop inflation.

About 9,100 fewer Western Australians were in work in June as the state’s jobless rate defied an improvement nationally.

Forrest-owned bootmaker R.M. Williams has enforced price increases across its range of lavish products as it grapples with rising materials costs and inflationary pressures.

The move marks the international makeup retailer’s second shopfront in Western Australia.

Retailers will be fined for using plastic plates, bowls and drinking straws from today after the state government enforced a ban on single-use plastics.

Luxury baby bag brand Alf the Label has launched a crowdfunding campaign to secure up to $1 million to increase its brand awareness and expand into international markets.

After nearly a decade on King Street, CHANEL has relocated its boutique to what has been marketed as the CBD’s new luxury precinct at Raine Square.

Shares in women’s fashion retailer Mosaic Brands fell more than 55 per cent after forecasting a full year loss, citing continued COVID disruptions during the trading period.

The unemployment rate in WA has fallen to 2.9 per cent in April, amid an environment of soaring inflation.

Retailers enjoyed a buoyant sales period during April compared to a year earlier, but ballooning inflation is eating into business operations.

DoorDash and the Transport Workers' Union have signed an agreement that sets out how Australia can ensure safety and fairness for contract or so-called gig workers.

The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak and event cancellations has pushed Perth streetwear brand Live Clothing into liquidation, with owners hoping to find a buyer to save the business.

The cash rate could be expected to rise over time to 2.5 per cent, RBA governor Philip Lowe has said, while the central bank forecasts inflation could get worse before it gets better.

Inflated flower costs and nearly two years without large-scale events have forced prominent Perth florist Matthew Landers to shut his business after 15 years in operation.

Inflation in Perth has hit the highest level since 1990 at 7.6 per cent, with rising homebuilding costs a key contributor.

Mexican fast food chain Mad Mex holds tight to its WA expansion plan amid five of its restaurants across Perth closing this week.

The unemployment rate among women in Western Australia is just 3 per cent, the lowest since 2008, with the state posting a sharp improvement in the jobless rate in March.

Five Mexican fast food chain restaurants in Perth have closed their doors after liquidators were called in yesterday.

Consumers are pessimistic about the state’s economy, with confidence dropping nearly 10 per cent in April.

Retail sales took a battering in Western Australia in February, down 2.9 per cent.

Almost 25 years after rapper The Notorious B.I.G. released hit Mo Money Mo Problems, the song title may serve as a cautionary warning for central bankers.

Wesfarmers is one step closer to completing its acquisition of Australian Pharmaceutical Industries after securing shareholder approval.

The state’s jobless rate will stay below 4 per cent until at least 2024, CCIWA predicts.

WA’s internal economy grew just 0.1 per cent in the December quarter as spending on mining equipment slowed, while national GDP rose 3.4 per cent.

Retail spending in Western Australia jumped 4.7 per cent month-on-month in January, while interstate consumers showed some caution.

Cash Converters has booked stronger revenues for the half-year despite losing a quarter of its trading days to the pandemic, but a revaluation of its stores has hindered the Perth-founded franchise's bottom line.

Woolworths has posted lower first-half profit while its boss warned prices will keep moving higher due to inflation.

Coles has delivered a 2 per cent drop in profit as higher costs and lower convenience store sales hit half-year results.

Super Retail Group has had first-half profit dive 35 per cent and warns higher freight and transport costs will continue to affect margins.

Wesfarmers says roughly 34,000 trading days across its stores were affected by pandemic restrictions, resulting in a 14 per cent profit fall and a leaner dividend.

The AMWU will take an ongoing labour dispute with The West Australian to advertisers JB Hi-Fi and the Good Guys today, as a lockout of newspaper printers nears two weeks.