Retail

Consumer confidence has posted a modest rise after the central bank provided a large cut to the cash rate on May 1.

Transport and logistics group Toll Holdings has warned of lower earnings in 2012 as weakness in the retail sector impacts on its business.

Blinds and curtains maker Kresta expects property sales to bring it back to profitability this financial year.

Beverages supplier Coca-Cola Amatil expects a higher underlying profit in the first half of the 2012 calendar year, despite tough trading conditions.

More than half of all Australians feel they have been personally affected the global downturn, despite the nation's strong economy.

The "bully boy tactics" of Coles and Woolworths are threatening the future of Australian food production, Australian Workers' Union boss Paul Howes says.

The success of a $200 million class action case against the property group Centro Retail Australia is a win for all Australian investors, lawyers for the shareholders say.

Australian residential building approvals rose 7.4 per cent to 11,501 units in March, while retail spending rose 0.9 per cent, official figures show.

Coles' supermarket-branded frozen vegetable line is to be completely home-grown.

Harvey Norman says its pre-tax profit for the first nine months of the financial year is down 25 per cent, as sales continued to fall in the three months March.

Major retailers such as Coles are to blame for national trucking firm 1st Fleet going into administration, the transport union says.

Wesfarmers says Coles sales has risen almost five per cent in the third quarter but tough trading conditions led to a 4.4 per cent fall in Target sales.

Motorists should see petrol prices fall by up to four cents a litre in the next fortnight following recent falls in regional oil prices.

Woolworths says higher third quarter sales volumes were offset by lower prices, leaving shoppers as the big winners as the supermarket seeks to woo more customers than arch rival Coles.

Retail spending rose for the eighth straight month in March as consumers overcame a lack of confidence in the economy and spent more of their money on services such as entertainment.

Safety boot manufacturer Footwear Industries has been given the luxury of picking and choosing Australian distributors as demand for its Steel Blue brand increases.

On-target retail trade figures reflect a sector experiencing structural change, economists say.

Motorists could be in for some good news this long weekend with petrol prices stabilising and major supermarkets about to embark on a petrol price war, an economist says.

Australian retailers are becoming increasingly worried about wages growth and online competition eating into their profits.

Hardware chain Bunnings says its $1.5 billion expansion plan will create 6,000 jobs in the next three years.

A courtroom showdown between Jack Cowin and the global owner of the KFC fast food franchise has been averted after both sides agreed to mediation.

Premier Investments, the owner of retail brands such as Just Jeans and Portmans, has suffered a 2.4 per cent fall in first half profit due to the tough retail environment.

Investors have baulked at David Jones' ambitious plans to revamp its customer service and boost online sales after digesting news that full year profits could slump by as much as 40 per cent.

The corporate regulator's boss says David Jones' decision to go into a trading halt was justified if the alternative was an uninformed market trading in its shares.

Retail spending appears to be on the rebound, with a seventh consecutive month of growth, an industry study shows.

The Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre has signed Willie Creek Pearls as its cornerstone tenant for a boutique retail precinct within the centre.

Myer boss Bernie Brookes has tried to paint a rosy picture for the struggling department store chain's future despite forecasting flagging sales and earnings.

The Australian Retailers Association has called for Sunday penalty rates to be halved to reflect the demands of the modern retail environment.

Consumer goods retailer Harvey Norman is drastically scaling back plans to conduct five per cent of its trade online, only months after launching a brand new website.

Woolworths says its net profit has fallen more than 16 per cent, due to the restructure of its Dick Smith chain, and it expects trading conditions to remain subdued for the rest of the year.

The Australian dollar pushed to its highest level in almost three weeks, rising above 108 US cents, following data showing the retail sector having recovered from its pre-Christmas blues.

Shares in consumer goods retailer Harvey Norman fell more than six per cent after the company reported worse than expected sales in an uncertain retail environment.