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SINGAPORE’S retail sales unexpectedly contracted 0.7 per cent on year last November, reversing from the 2.4 per cent growth logged the month before, based on Department of Statistics (SingStat) data released on Friday (Jan 3).

This was as performance was mixed across industries, with just half recording year-on-year growth.

Private-sector economists had predicted growth, with a median forecast of a 1.5 per cent expansion in a Bloomberg poll.

On a month-on-month, seasonally adjusted basis, retail sales fell 2.8 per cent, in a turnaround from the 0.3 per cent uptick in October.

Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales decreased more steeply – down 1.4 per cent from the year-ago period, reversing from October’s 0.5 per cent rise.

It slid sequentially – falling 2.1 per cent on a seasonally adjusted basis, against the preceding month’s 1.4 per cent rise.

November’s estimated total retail sales value was S$4.1 billion, with online sales accounting for 14.6 per cent – higher than October’s 12.6 per cent.

“The larger proportion of online retail sales was mainly attributed to higher online sales during the year-end online shopping events such as Singles’ Day (11.11) and Black Friday,” SingStat said.

Year on year, the seven retail sales categories that grew in November were:

• Supermarkets and hypermarkets (2 per cent)

• Food and alcohol (5.6 per cent)

• Motor vehicles (5.2 per cent)

• Cosmetics, toiletries and medical goods (1.7 per cent)

• Furniture and household equipment (1.9 per cent)

• Recreational goods (2.7 per cent)

• Watches and jewellery (2.2 per cent)

Meanwhile, the remaining half recorded declines. Computer and telecommunications equipment marked the largest fall, at 11 per cent.

Other categories that reported falls were:

• Department stores (-3.7 per cent)

• Mini-marts and convenience stores (-8.6 per cent)

• Petrol service stations (-5.4 per cent)

• Wearing apparel and footwear (-3.8 per cent)

• Optical goods and books (-4.9 per cent)

• Others (-0.5 per cent)

On a month-on-month, seasonally adjusted basis, sales growth was recorded in 13 out of 14 of the categories above.

But in a separate index, sales of food and beverage (F&B) services climbed 3.9 per cent on year in November, similar to October. It was down 2 per cent on a monthly, seasonally adjusted basis.

On the year, growth was recorded across all F&B segments:

• Restaurants (2.2 per cent)

• Fast food outlets (1.4 per cent)

• Food caterers (19.7 per cent)

• Cafes, food courts and other eating places (2.3 per cent)

Still, all industries except food caterers were down on a seasonally adjusted, month-on-month basis.

Food and beverage services receipts amounted to S$970 million, with online sales accounting for 24.7 per cent.