2023.06.0510:44:00UTC+00Singapore Retail Sales Growth Eases To 3.6%

Singapore's retail sales growth eased further in April, data from the Department of Statistics showed on Monday.

Retail sales climbed 3.6 percent year-over-year in April, slower than the 4.5 percent gain in March.

Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales grew 4.2 percent yearly in April after a 4.0 percent increase in the preceding month.

Sales of food and alcohol grew the most, by 30.5 percent from a year ago, though well below the previous month's 55.0 percent surge.

Similarly, the annual sales growth in apparel and footwear eased to 13.0 percent from 26.5 percent.

Sales at department stores rose at a slower rate of 6.5 percent versus a 16.8 percent spike a month ago. Meanwhile, sales of motor vehicles dropped 0.6 percent.

Data showed that the online sales proportion was 12.0 percent of the overall retail sales in April.

On a monthly basis, retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.3 percent in April after rising 2.2 percent in the prior month.

The index for food and beverage services alone grew 15.1 percent year-on-year in April, following a 17.7 percent rise in the prior month.