Australians in November spent AU$20 billion (US$18.1 billion or 12.1 billion euros) using credit and charge cards, up 13.6% from AU$17.6 billion during the same month in 2008, data from the Reserve Bank of Australia show. They initiated 133.7 million transactions during the month, up 14.5% from 116.8 million.
Credit card repayments grew by 11.4%, to AU$19.5 billion from AU$17.5 billion, the data show. Total credit card outstandings at the end of November were AU$46 billion, up by 2.9% from AU$44.7 billion a year earlier Australian debit cardholders in November spent AU$11.9 billion, up 14.4% from AU$10.4 billion a year earlier, the central bank data show. They initiated 175.7 million debit card transactions during the month, up 16.1% from 151.3 million.
Australian banks as of Nov. 30 had issued 14.4 million credit and charge cards, up 1.4% from 14.2 million a year earlier? They also issued 31 million debit cards, up 7.3% from 28.9 million.
