澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2015-12-23（在线收听）

The Retailer's Association says the falling Australian dollar has pushed customers towards the local shops during Christmas. The association says retailers have reported stronger sales with the favorite present this year being gift cards. The association's chief executive Annie M. says more shoppers prefer to visit the national store. She says about 16 percent of customers buy presents online. Australian retailer's reporting growth in their website sales. So it only had a strong growth over recent years. Oh, it's grown with suspects, grown with a little bit this year. But because of the Australian dollar, the international online activity has pulled back back to be, and the growth has  predominantly been on the Australian sides. Pre-Christmas shopping is also providing a boost for the US economy. Stocks rose overnight on the release of data, showing an increasing consumer's spending. The US ecnonomy has expanded at about 2 percent in the recent quarter. Although shoppers were spending more, US data showed exporters continue to struggle with a strong US dollar. Ok, to the markets. The Dow closed nearly one percent higher overnight, the NASDAQ and S&P also made gains. In London the FTSE ended the day in poisitve territory. Checking commodity prices. WTC is traded at 36 US dollars a barrel, Tapis is 37 US dollars a barrel, and gold this morning was worth 1072 US dollars an ounce. And on currency markets. The Aussie dollar is buying 72 US cents, 65 euro cents, and 48 pence sterling.