50-50: RBA mulls rate hike as retail sales slow

Consumers are spending less time at the shops as the cost of living bites, but economists aren't sure it will be enough to stop a rate hike in April. Photo: AAP

Australians are spending less time at the shops as sky high inflation and rapidly rising interest rates eat into family budgets.

But experts are unsure whether the pullback is enough to prevent the Reserve Bank from raising mortgage bills again in April.