Singapore's retail sales up 6.5 pct on-year in Nov.

Singapore's retail sales increased 6.5 percent year-on-year in November, driven by significant increase in motor vehicle sales. Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales decreased 0.4 percent, said the Department of Statistics in Singapore on Thursday.

The total retail sales value in November was estimated at 3.2 billion Singapore dollars (2.56 billion U.S. dollars), higher than the 3 billion Singapore dollars (2.4 billion U.S. dollars) in the same period last year. However, when compared with the previous month, retail sales fell by 0.7 percent in November.

Retailers of motor vehicles registered a sales increase of 50.2 percent in November. Meanwhile, retail sales of watches and jewelry, medical goods and toiletries and sales in department stores, supermarkets all recorded sales increase in November.

In contrast, retail sales of furniture and household equipment, recreational goods and petrol service stations declined between 1. 7 percent and 6.8 percent.

Sales in food and beverage services rose 2.0 percent year-on- year in November, with sales value estimated at 636 million Singapore dollars (504 million U.S. dollars), higher than the 624 million Singapore dollars (495.2 million U.S. dollars) in November 2013. Endi