Underscoring subdued Christmas trading, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) last week reported a 0.1 per cent seasonally adjusted fall in December sales and five retail chains have been placed in the hands of administrators. The past week also produced announcements that two more Australian retailers could be acquired by overseas-based suitors. The appointment of administrators to Marcs, David Lawrence, Allphones, Herringbone and Rhodes & Beckett signalled the failure of December and J