Australian business turnover fell 2.2 per cent in August on a seasonally adjusted basis, the steepest monthly drop since April 2023, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Nine of the 13 industry divisions declined month on month, led by Electricity, gas, water and waste services, which slumped 14.1 per cent as wholesale energy prices retreated after a sharp July rise. Manufacturing fell 5.8 per cent, Information media and telecommunications dropped 3.7 per cent, and Mining was down 1.9 per cent.
Tom Lay, ABS head of business statistics, said: ‘Other notable industry falls were in Manufacturing, down 5.8 per cent, Information media and telecommunications, down 3.7 per cent, and Mining, down 1.9 per cent.’
Gains were recorded in Construction (up 2.0 per cent), Arts and recreation services (1.5 per cent), Administrative and support services (1.2 per cent) and Transport, postal and warehousing (0.6 per cent).
Despite the monthly setback, total turnover was 4.5 per cent higher than in August 2024, with 11 industries rising over the year. The strongest annual increases were in Construction and Arts and recreation services (both up 7.3 per cent) and Transport, postal and warehousing (7.2 per cent). Electricity, gas, water and waste services (down 1.0 per cent) and Mining (down 0.7 per cent) were the only industries to fall over the year.
In trend terms, the 13‑industry aggregate edged up 0.3 per cent in August, marking a 12th straight month of growth.
The ABS said the final release of the Monthly business Turnover Indicator will be published on 10 November 2025, covering September 2025, with existing releases to remain available on its website.
The Monthly business Turnover Indicator draws on Australian Taxation Office business Activity Statement data from monthly remitters, largely covering businesses with annual GST turnover of $20 million or more and a share of smaller firms.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics.
