Aussie shares close slightly higher The share market has closed slightly higher as poor trade figures and an upward revision to recent unemployment figures muted the response to strong growth in retail spending. Trading volumes were light due to the Melbourne Cup, while the Reserve Bank surprised no one when it left the cash rate on hold. Retail spending was very positive but the trade deficit was a real negative. They ended up cancelling each other out," CMC Markets chief market analyst Ric Spooner said. Most investors chose not to act, partly because it's Melbourne Cup Day. Shoppers spent $23.6 billion in September, a 1.2 per cent rise from August, which was the strongest lift since February 2013. But the trade deficit blew out to $2.261 billion in September, the sixth consecutive month in the red. The country's jobless rate for September has been revised up from six per cent to 6.1 per cent, the highest in more than a decade. Two of the major banks were the main drag on the market, along with Woolworths. National Australia Bank dropped 28 cents to $34.61 and Westpac shed five cents to $34.50. ANZ gained seven cents to $33.65 and Commonwealth Bank rose 25 cents to $80.77. Woolworths continued to fall after its weaker than expected first quarter sales figures, shedding 94 cents to $33.30. Most other retailers picked up after the strong spending data, with Harvey Norman adding two cents to $3.74, Super Retail up 18 cents at $7.12 Domino's Pizza 65 cents higher at $27.75. Among the miners, BHP Billiton gained 30 cents to $34.01, Rio Tinto added 57 cents to $60.35 and iron ore miner Fortescue Metals was three cents higher at $3.38. At the close on Tuesday, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 13 points, or 0.24 per cent, at 5,519.9 points. The broader All Ordinaries index was up 13.2 points, or 0.24 per cent, at 5,498.2 points. The December share price index futures contract was up 14 points at 5,507 points, with 21,100 contracts traded. The price of gold in Sydney at 1700 AEDT was $US1,167 per fine ounce, down $US1.90 on Monday's price of $US1,168.90. National turnover was 1.46 billion securities worth $4.23 billion.