The latest snapshot of the retail sector will make for essential reading ahead of another finely balanced interest rate decision in a little over a week.
Retail trade data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics will be released on Monday and shed some light on consumer spending patterns throughout September.
In the month prior, retail trade lifted 0.2 per cent, which was modest given Australia's strong population growth and the influence of higher prices on the measure of total sales.
Weaker consumption growth indicates higher interest rates are weighing on demand for goods and services, helping to ease pressure on prices.
September quarter inflation data came in a little above expectations, sparking speculation about the Reserve Bank's ability to bring inflation back to target within its expressed timeline without further increases to the cash rate.
An update on the housing market will also be of interest to the central bank as although unlikely to move the needle in isolation, rising prices can lead people to spend more because they feel wealthier.
Statistics released on Sunday by real estate data firm CoreLogic showed a strong increase in the number of properties going to auction, from fewer than 2500 last week to almost 3400 this week.
Melbourne led the nation, with in excess of 1700 properties going under the hammer, up from 1139 last week and nearly three times the number for the same week in 2022.
New residential home value stats will be released by CoreLogic on Wednesday, followed by building approvals numbers from the ABS.
The national statisticians will also release cost of living indexes for the September quarter on Wednesday, followed by lending indicators and international trade data on Thursday.
Two separate speeches from RBA assistant governor Brad Jones could also be of interest.
He's due to deliver an address to the Australian Finance Industry Association conference in Sydney on Tuesday and another at a Financial Services Institute of Australasia event in Sydney on Friday.
On Wall Street, stocks closed mostly lower on Friday as investors digested a week of mixed earnings and economic data that seemed to support a higher for longer interest rate scenario.
The S&P 500 lost 19.03 points, or 0.46 per cent, to end at 4,118.20 points, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 47.41 points, or 0.39 per cent, to 12,645.06.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 365.86 points, or 1.12 per cent, to 32,418.44.
Australian futures fell 67 points to 6839.
In Australia the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index on Friday closed up 14.6 points, or 0.21 per cent, to 6,826.9. The broader All Ordinaries gained 13.1 points, or 0.19 per cent, to 7,014.2.
