Computers and clothes sold less in February

Both retail sectors saw steep declines nearing double-digit percentages, while car sales bounced back strong.

On a month-to-month basis, telecommunications appratus and computers dipped 9.5% while apparel & footwear shrank 9.0%, according to data from Statistics Singapore.

Sales growth for food & beverages, department stores and supermarkets also remained in the red.

The biggest comeback came from the motor vehicles sector, which reversed its dismal 8.1% decline in sales last month to an impressive 9.2% rise this February.

Here's more from Statistics Singapore:

Month-on-Month Change (Seasonally Adjusted)
After seasonal adjustment, retail sales of motor vehicles rose 9.9% in January 2012 over December 2011 (Table 1). Retailers of watches & jewellery, recreational goods, optical  goods & books and petrol service stations also registered increases in sales of between 1.8% and 6.3% compared to the previous month.

On the other hand, retailers of telecommunications apparatus & computers and wearing apparel & footwear recorded declines in sales of 9.5% and 9.0% respectively. Retail sales of food & beverages, department stores and supermarkets also decreased between 1.1% and 3.0% in January 2012 over December 2011.

Year-on-Year Change
Compared to January 2011, retailers of food & beverages recorded a double-digit growth of 15.6% in sales in January 2012. Similarly, retail sales of petrol service stations, supermarkets, watches & jewellery, telecommunications apparatus & computers, medical goods & toiletries, provision & sundry shops and department stores increased between 2.9% and 9.4%.On the other hand, retailers of optical goods & books, furniture & household equipment and motor vehicles reported declines in sales of between 2.8% and 7.7% in January 2012 over January 2011.