Retail sales in the ACT fell to $406.3 million in April according to ABS data released on Tuesday, which is a 0.7 per cent decline on the 409.3 million posted in March.

The April figures are the lowest sales result posted in the ACT since January 2012, but are higher than the $394 million posted in April 2012 or the $381 million in April 2011.

Retail spending peaked in the ACT during November 2013 when Canberrans passed $417 million through checkouts in the lead up to the Christmas season, although spending has fallen every month since then.

But the gloomy result in Canberra is not indicative of national trends, with retail sales increasing by 0.2 per cent during April.

Australian National Retail Association chief executive Margy Osmond said retail sales across the nation had "fought off the autumn blues for the twelfth consecutive month".

“These gains were offset by falls in Western Australia which recorded its third fall in four months while the ACT experienced its fourth straight decline in April,” she said.

But Ms Osmond was less confident about national sales in the coming months which could mean more pain for ACT retailers.

“April was the final month before households took note of the federal budget,” she said.

“While today’s result is a nice surprise for retailers, we would expect May and June to be the deal-breakers in retail sales momentum.”