Singapore's Oct retail sales up 2.7% year on year, boosted by vehicle sales

SINGAPORE retail sales got a leg up from motor vehicle sales in October, rising 2.7 per cent year on year.

Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales actually fell 4.6 per cent.

Total retail sales value in October 2015 was estimated at S$3.5 billion, higher than the S$3.4 billion in October 2014.

For the month, sales of motor vehicles surged 61.8 per cent year on year - one of the few categories to record any growth, alongside department stores, supermarkets, as well as medical goods and toiletries.

Telecommunications apparatus and computers saw the steepest drop, with takings declining 19.4 per cent year on year.

Compared to the same period last year, sales of food and beverage (F&B) services fell 3.8 per cent in October.

The total sales value of food & beverage services in October 2015 was estimated at S$650 million, lower than the S$676 million in October 2014.

The Retail Sales Index and Food & Beverage Services Index measure the short-term performance of retail and F&B services industries based on the sales records of retail and F&B service establishments.