* Seasonally adjusted retail sales rise 0.2 pct Q/Q
* Eases off 1.8 pct jump in previous quarter
* Spending slow-down likely as housing market weakens - analysts (Re-casts, adds analyst comment)
By Charlotte Greenfield
WELLINGTON, Nov 23 (Reuters) - New Zealand's retail sales growth slowed sharply in the third quarter amid signs that a slowing housing market has dented consumer confidence, pointing to slower spending in the year ahead.
The slow-down was heightened by one-off factors, including an inconclusive election and a recoil from an earlier sports tourism boom, but households also held off on purchases of major items.
Sales volumes rose a seasonally adjusted 0.2 percent in the three months to the end of September, according to data from Statistics New Zealand, compared with a 1.8 jump in the previous quarter.
The soft result would likely reinforce the central bank's resolve to keep the official cash rate at a record low of 1.75 percent, said Mark Smith, economist at ASB.
The New Zealand dollar NZD=D4 initially bounced to $0.6889 from around $0.6876 before the release, but gave up its gains as investors digested weak spots in the data.
The small rise in retail sales was underpinned by electronic goods, which grew 5.1 percent.
Growth was dragged down by a 3.1 percent drop in food and beverages spending, which retraced from a bumper second quarter when a series of high-profile international sporting events saw a flood of tourists splurging on hospitality.
However, spending also dropped for big ticket items, such as cars and major household items, suggesting consumers were curbing spending as house price values eased.
"While today's figures had a clear unwind element to them after key tourist events boosted spending in Q2, there were some softer pockets too, especially spending on big-ticket items," said Philip Borkin, senior economist at ANZ Bank.
"History has taught us that that is what you'd expect at a time of a weak housing market," he added.
Sales of motor vehicles fell 0.8 percent, while funiture sales dropped 2.6 percent.
New Zealand house price growth has cooled dramatically since the start of the year, even falling in previously red hot Auckland thanks to central bank mortgage lending restrictions. an annual basis retail sales were 4.1 percent higher, drawing back from 5.4 percent growth the previous quarter.
"We expect annual retail spending growth to continue to moderate over the remainder of the year given the sluggish housing market and easing consumer confidence," said ASB's Smith in a research note. ASB projected annual sales growth of 3.5 percent by the end of 2017.