SINGAPORE, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's retail sales rose 0.7 percent year-on-year in August, slowing from a 1.3 percent increase in July, the Department of Statistics said on Monday.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, retail sales fell 1 percent in August from the previous month, mainly due to a decline in sales of motor vehicles, parts and accessories, the department said in a report.
Most industries recorded year-on-year growth in sales. Sales of cosmetics, toiletries and medical goods led the growth, rising 11.2 percent, followed by computer and telecommunications equipment, which increased 10.7 percent.
Motor vehicles, parts and accessories recorded the largest year-on-year decline, with sales falling 4.6 percent.
Meanwhile, sales of food and beverage services in Singapore fell 1.6 percent year-on-year in August, extending a 1.9 percent decline in July. On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, however, food and beverage services sales rose 1.5 percent in August. ■
