SYDNEY, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Australian retail sales rebounded by 1.6% in October from the month before, preliminary data showed on Friday, as the second-most populous state of Victoria crept out of a long coronavirus-induced lockdown.
"The reopening of retail stores in Victoria at the end of October led to a boost to all industries, with the exception of food retailing," said Ben James, a director at the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Retail sales in Victoria rose 5.2% from September, while in the most populous New South Wales retail sales climbed 1.6% after falling in August and September, the ABS figures showed.
The ABS will release the final estimate on Dec. 4.