Retailers enjoyed an exceptionally strong spend-up a month out from Christmas but there is some uncertainty around how they have fared since in the face of COVID lockdowns in two major capitals. Consumer confidence – a pointer to future household spending – ended 2020 on a sour note in response to the COVID-19 cluster and lockdown days out from Christmas in NSW’s northern beaches. Those restrictions were only eased on January 10. Queensland also declared a snap lockdown in the Greater Brisbane area last weekend – after a case of the highly infectious UK strain was detected – but was able to end it on Monday evening as planned after the state recorded zero locally-acquired cases three days running. The weekly ANZ-Roy Morgan consumer confidence index will get its first airing of the year on Tuesday. This gauge dropped two percent last time around in reaction to the NSW lockdown, …