Australia posted a seasonally adjusted merchandise trade deficit of A$2.933 billion in June, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Tuesday - expanding 10 percent on month.

That topped expectations for a shortfall of A$3.00 billion following the upwardly revised A$2.677 billion deficit in May (originally -A$2.751).

Exports were up A$830 million or 3.0 percent on month to A$26.348 billion.

Non-rural goods advanced A$590 million (4 percent) and non-monetary gold surged A$231 million (28 percent).

Rural goods slipped A$23 million (1 percent), while net exports of goods under merchanting remained steady at A$32 million. Services credits added A$32 million (1 percent).

Imports climbed A$1.086 billion or 4.0 percent to A$29.281 billion.

Intermediate and other merchandise goods jumped A$957 million (10 percent) and consumption goods added A$80 million (1 percent).

Capital goods slipped A$42 million (1 percent) and non-monetary gold fell A$19 million (5 percent). Services debits gained A$109 million (2 percent).

Also on Tuesday, the ABS said that the total value of retail sales in Australia was up a seasonally adjusted 0.7 percent on month in June, coming in at A$24.346 billion.

That beat forecasts for an increase of 0.4 percent, which would have been unchanged from the May reading following an upward revision from 0.3 percent.

For the second quarter of 2015, the value of retail sales advanced 0.8 percent on quarter to A$70.302 billion.

By category, sales for household goods added 0.8 percent, along with food retailing (0.2 percent), other retailing (0.4 percent), cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (0.3 percent) and clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (0.1 percent). Department stores dipped 0.2 percent.

By region, sales in New South Wales added 0.5 percent, along with Victoria (0.3 percent), South Australia (0.4 percent), the Australian Capital Territory (0.5 percent), Western Australia (0.1 percent), Tasmania (0.2 percent) and the Northern Territory (0.2 percent). Queensland (0.0 percent) was relatively unchanged.