While paying too much attention to one month's consumer spending...

While paying too much attention to one month's consumer spending estimates by the ABS could be unwise, 'The Oz' online reports from today's 1130 AEDT release:

"...Growth was also seen at hospitality venues with the amount spent at hotels, cafes and restaurants up 5.8 per cent in the past year – more than double the 2.2 per cent increase seen in December..."

Note that with official inflation tracking at about 3.5 per cent (althouugh many of we retail peasants would say it's higher still, especially with services such as dental/medical/private school fees), it really isn't much of a rise in the two months December 2023/January 2024 combined.

But it could have been worse. It's also not EDV-specific.