2254 GMT - The rise in Australian household spending in February may represent the calm before the storm. Jarden says spending is slowing, caution is rising and it's beginning to see a change in spending patterns. So far this has been most obvious among less-affluent groups. They juggled higher fuel costs in early March, which led to lower spending on groceries. As food retailers put up product prices and consumers pivoted to eating at home, so grocery spending picked up again. Analyst Ben Gilbert says discretionary spending on tech items remains resilient. Elsewhere, bigger ticket items are being deferred and fashion is mixed. Jarden's top pick in discretionary retail is JB Hi-Fi. Overall, its sector preference shifts to staples and health, notably Sigma Healthcare, Woolworths, Coles and Metcash. (david.winning@wsj.com; @dwinningWSJ)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 07, 2026 18:54 ET (22:54 GMT)

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