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[SINGAPORE] Retail sales grew 4.8 per cent year on year in July, picking up from June’s revised 2.4 per cent increase, data from the Department of Statistics showed on Friday (Sep 5).

The latest print was more than double the median estimate of 2.1 per cent growth from a Bloomberg poll of private-sector economists.

Growth was broad-based, as the majority of industries tracked recorded rises.

Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales expanded 4.1 per cent on a yearly basis in July, significantly higher than the 0.5 growth recorded in the preceding month.

On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail sales grew 4.1 per cent, reversing from the 1.1 per cent decline posted in June. Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales was up 3.8 per cent month on month, against June’s 1.2 per cent fall.

Retail sales growth

Year on year: 4.8 per cent

Year on year, excluding motor vehicles: 4.1 per cent

Month on month, seasonally adjusted: 4.1 per cent

Month on month, seasonally adjusted, excluding motor vehicles: 3.8 per cent

Total retail sales value: S$4.2 billion

Year on year, sales rose in 10 of the 14 categories:

• Department stores: 4.1 per cent

• Supermarkets and hypermarkets: 9.6 per cent

• Mini-marts and convenience stores: 0.2 per cent

• Motor vehicles: 8.8 per cent

• Cosmetics, toiletries and medical goods: 5.5 per cent

• Furniture and household equipment: 1.3 per cent

• Recreational goods: 6.9 per cent

• Watches and jewellery: 9.6 per cent

• Computer and telecommunications equipment: 11.1 per cent

• Optical goods and books: 8.6 per cent

The remaining categories that posted a decrease in sales:

• Food and alcohol: -2 per cent

• Petrol service stations: -5.6 per cent

• Wearing apparel and footwear: -3.1 per cent

• Others: -0.3 per cent

Food and beverage services growth

Year on year: 1.7 per cent

Month on month, seasonally adjusted: 1.4 per cent

On a yearly basis, most categories marked growth:

• Fast food outlets: 4.8 per cent

• Food caterers: 14.7 per cent

• Cafes, food courts and other eating places: 0.5 per cent

There was one exception: