Canberra, Nov 16 (TIWN) Retail sales in Australia jumped 4.2 per cent in October 2021 compared with the previous year, and a 10.1 per cent spike from the same time before the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019, according to official figures released on Tuesday.

The figures, released by Australian Retailers Association (ARA), were based on data which records online and in-store credit payments, reports Xinhua news agency.

Despite the overall rebound, retail sales growth has staggered in the cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra as they only exited their prolonged lockdowns in mid-to-late October.  Paul Zahra, CEO of the ARA, said this likely means the full extent of the return to retail in these cities has yet to be realized.