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Singapore Retail Sales Rise for Third Consecutive Month

Singapore's retail sales increased in April, the third straight month of increases, driven by sales in gas stations, recreational items, and motor vehicles and parts.Total retail sales for the month jumped 5.4% to SG$4.3 billion during the month, according to Statistics Singapore data released Friday.The growth accelerated from 4.6% in March, the department said.Of the number, 15.4% were from online sales, slowing marginally from 15.4% in March, SingStat said.Excluding motor vehicles, parts, and accessories, growth jumped 4.5% to SG$3.6 billion, faster than the 3% growth seen in March.Of the amount, 15.4% were from online sales, slowing marginally from 15.4% in March, SingStat said.Sales from gasoline stations jumped 14.4% year over year, faster than the 4% rise in the previous month.The growth came despite ongoing tensions in the Middle East, Singaporean newspaper The Straits Times reported the same day.Recreational goods sales surged 12.3% year over year in April, faster than the 9.1% rise seen in March.Motor vehicles, parts, and accessories slowed to 10.7% in April from 12.9% in the previous month.Retail sales from hypermarkets and supermarkets accelerated to a growth of 5.8% in April from 2.6% in March. Out of the total sales in hypermarkets and supermarkets, 13% were online purchases.Computer and telecommunications equipment sales increased 2.8% in April. Of the total sales, 58.8% were done online.Furniture and household equipment sales edged up 1.4% during the month, with 33.1% of the purchases made online.On a month-on-month basis, total retail sales inched up 0.3%. Sans motor vehicles, parts, and accessories, sales increased 0.4%.