Retail sales dip 0.9%

Blame it on the 8.2% decline in sales of motor vehicles.

According to SingStat, retail sales decreased 0.9% in June 2012 compared to Jun 2011. Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales increased 2.3%. Sales of food and beverage services went up 4.9% over the same period.

Here's more from SingStat:

After seasonal adjustment, retailers of motor vehicles recorded an 8.2% decline in receipts in June 2012 over May 2012. Retail sales of petrol service stations, food & beverages and watches & jewellery also decreased between 1.0% and 3.2% over the same period.

On the other hand, retailers of telecommunications apparatus & computers registered a double-digit increase in sales of 14.8% in June 2012 compared to the previous month. Similarly, retail sales of medical goods & toiletries, wearing apparel & footwear, provision & sundry shops, recreational goods, optical goods & books, supermarkets and furniture & household equipment increased between 2.1% and 4.8% over the same period.

Compared to June 2011, retailers of motor vehicles reported a 10.8% decline in sales while retail sales of watches & jewellery and optical goods & books decreased 9.2% and 1.1% respectively in June 2012.

On the other hand, retailers of medical goods & toiletries, telecommunications apparatus & computers and supermarkets recorded double-digit increases in sales of between 10.7% and 17.8% in June 2012 over June 2011. Similarly, retail sales of provision & sundry shops, recreational goods, furniture & household equipment, petrol service stations and wearing apparel & footwear increased between 1.2% and 5.2%.