Singapore's retail sales (seasonally adjusted) decreased 2.4 percent in September 2010 compared to August 2010, the Singapore Department of Statistics said in a statement.

Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales increased 0.7 percent in September.

After seasonal adjustment, sales of motor vehicles decreased 6.4 percent in September 2010 over August 2010. Similarly, retailers of wearing apparel and footwear, supermarkets, provision and sundry shops, petrol service stations and furniture and household equipment reported lower turnover of between 1.0 percent and 2.5 percent.

Retail sales of recreational goods, optical goods and books, watches and jewellery, telecommunications apparatus and computers and medical goods and toiletries increased 1.0 percent to 4.7 percent compared to the previous month.

Catering trade (seasonally adjusted) increased 3.0 percent in September against to the previous month.

Catering trade by sector after seasonal adjustment, turnover of fast food outlets and other eating places (such as cafes and canteens) increased 7.4 percent and 8.2 percent respectively in September 2010 over the previous month.

On the other hand, receipts of restaurants and food caterers decreased 2.5 percent and 1.3 percent respectively compared to August 2010.

On year-on-year basis,

Sales of telecommunications apparatus and computers and medical goods and toiletries recorded double-digit growths of 18.0 percent and 13.5 percent respectively in September 2010.

Retail sales of watches and jewellery, optical goods and books, furniture and household equipment, wearing apparel and footwear, department stores and petrol service stations also grew by 2.4 percent to 9.2 percent.

Sales of motor vehicles decreased 17.4 percent over September 2009. Retail sales of provision and sundry shops and recreational goods also reported lower sales of 1.5 percent and 1.1 percent respectively.

Catering trade by sector, all major segments expanded in September 2010 compared to the same period last year, with receipts of food caterers and fast food outlets rose more significantly by 15.7 percent and 12.0 percent respectively and turnover of restaurants and other eating places increased by 5.9 percent and 3.8 percent correspondingly, the statement said.

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