Singapore's retail sales decreased by 5 percent in December 2009 over a year ago, according to the figures released by the Singapore Department of Statistics (SDS) on Friday.
The decline was largely due to a decrease of 27.2 percent in motor vehicles sales over a year ago. Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales would have increased 3 percent over a year ago.
Sales of telecommunication apparatus & computers, watches & jewelry and petrol service stations increased by between 9 percent and 17.6 percent over a year ago.
Other segments such as recreational goods, furniture & household equipment, medical goods and toiletries, and food and beverages also reported increases of between 1.5 percent and 4.5 percent over the same month of the previous year./.