Singapore's retail sales up 1.5% in May from year ago

SINGAPORE (AP) Singapore's retail sales rose 1.5 percent in May from a year ago, as weak car sales dragged against healthy department store, supermarket and clothing purchases, according to government data released Friday.

Total retail sales rose 1.5 percent from May last year to 2.75 billion Singapore dollars (US$1.8 billion; euro1.3 billion), according to Singapore's Department of Statistics, matching the average forecast of economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires.

Strong sales by department stores, supermarkets and clothing retailers were offset by a 7 percent drop in car sales from the previous May.

Retails sales excluding motor vehicles grew 6 percent in May from a year earlier. Apparel and footwear sales posted the largest gain at 14.1 percent. Supermarket sales grew 11.0 percent, and department store sales 8.2 percent.

Telecommunications equipment and computer sales also dragged on the sales index, falling 10.5 percent from May last year.