Retail sales rise 3.2% in May

SINGAPORE - Apart from petrol service stations and sellers of furniture and household equipment, all other retailers logged higher sales, according to the latest retail sales index released by the Statistics Department on Monday.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

Here is the press release from Singstat:

Retail Sales by Sector

Month-on-Month Change (Seasonally Adjusted)

After seasonal adjustm ent, retailers of telecommunications apparatus & computers recorded a double-digit increase of 17.1 per cent in sales in May 2013 over April 2013. Similarly,retail sales of motor vehicles,department stores, supermarkets and food & beverages increased between 1.1 per cent and 6.1 per cent compared to the previous month.

On the other hand, retail sales of furniture & household equipment, watches & jewellery and recreational goods recorded decreases of between 2.0 per cent and 6.7 per cent in May 2013 over April 2013.

Year-on-Year Change

Compared to May 2012, retailers of telecommunications apparatus & computers, watches & jewellery, supermarkets, food & beverages and department stores recorded increases in sales of between 5.3 per cent and 8.1 per cent in May 2013. Similarly, retail sales of optical goods & books, motor vehicles, provision & sundry shops, medical goods & toiletries and wearing apparel & footwear increased between 1.1 per cent and 3.6 per cent.

In contrast, retailers of furniture & household equipment reported a 9.0 per cent decline in sales while retail sales of petrol service stations decreased 2.6 per cent in May 2013 over May 2012.

Sales of Food & Beverage Services by Sector

Month-on-Month Change (Seasonally Adjusted)

After seasonal adjustment, restaurants recorded a 2.2 per cent decrease in receipts compared to the previous month, while receipts of fast food outlets declined marginally by 0.7 per cent.

On the other hand, turnover of food caterers increased 6.4 per cent in May 2013 over April 2013.

Year-on-Year Change Compared to May 2012, all categories recorded inc reases in receipts in May 2013. Restaurants, food caterers and other eating places (such as cafes and canteens) registered increases in turnover of between 1.8 per cent and 6.5 per cent.