Business turnover in Australia ticked 0.1% lower in May 2025, marking the first monthly decline since October last year, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Robert Ewing, ABS head of business statistics, noted: “The Arts and recreation services industry had the largest fall, down 5.5%. The Gambling activities subdivision drove this drop with a fall of 11.2%, following a rise in April.”
Manufacturing turnover declined 1.3%, while retail trade dropped 0.8% in seasonally adjusted terms.
In total, five of the 13 industry divisions included in the indicator recorded a monthly contraction.
Offsetting some of these losses were gains in electricity, gas, water and waste services, which rose by 1.7%, and wholesale trade, which increased by 1.1%. Accommodation and food services also grew modestly by 1%.
In trend terms, the 13-industry aggregate still managed to rise 0.1% for the month.
Year-on-year, business turnover was up 3.3% from May 2024. Ten out of the 13 industries recorded annual increases, led by accommodation and food services with a surge of 11.9%, and manufacturing, which rose by 8.5%. Other services also recorded an 8.2% gain.
However, not all industries shared in the growth. The mining sector saw a 4.6% annual fall, while arts and recreation services dropped 3.7%, and retail trade declined 0.3% compared to a year earlier.
As noted by the ABS, the monthly business turnover indicator is an experimental series derived from Australian Taxation Office Business Activity Statements (BAS) submitted by monthly remitters, offering a timely snapshot of turnover trends across key industries.
