Singapore retail sales down 0.9 percent in May

Retail sales in Singapore dropped 0.9 percent on-month in May driven by another month of weak motor vehicle sales.

According to data released by the Department of Statistics, retail sales, excluding automobiles, would have dropped by just 0.1 percent. Automobiles sales dropped 8.0 percent on-month in May after seasonal adjustment.

Other goods such as clothes, shoes, telecommunication apparatus, computers and food have also recorded low sales of between 1.3 percent and 3.5 percent.

The bright spots came from sales of furniture and recreational goods as well as household equipment, which increased between 1.0 percent and 2.5 percent.

Singapore retail sales dropped by 3.4 percent in May compared to the same period last year. However, sales would have been increased by as high as 7.8 percent if automobiles were excluded.

While other retail trade recorded a positive year-on-year growths, retail sales of sundry and provision shops also slipped 2.7 percent.