The value of total retail sales in September, provisionally estimated at $35.7 billion, rose 5.6% on the same month last year, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.
After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the volume of total retail sales increased 5.5% year-on-year.
The sales value of jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts increased 14.7%.
This was followed by commodities in supermarkets (+2.6% in value); food, alcohol and tobacco (+9.2%); commodities in department stores (+9.4%); apparel (+1.7%); medicines and cosmetics (+12.7%); other consumer goods, not elsewhere classified (+4.1%); motor vehicles and parts (+12.3%); fuels (+5.6%); furniture and fixtures (+5.2%); footwear, allied products and other clothing accessories (+1.2%); books, newspapers, stationery and gifts (+2.5%); Chinese drugs and herbs (+11.4%); and optical shops (+5%).
The sales value of electrical goods and photographic equipment decreased 7.2%, followed by miscellaneous consumer durable goods (-17.3%).
The department said retail sales showed notable growth in September, with the year-on-year growth rate the fastest in more than two and a half years, reflecting the upbeat consumer sentiment and continued improvement in inbound tourism.
It said the near-term performance of retail sales should continue to be bolstered by the prevailing favourable job and income situation as well as the recovery in inbound tourism.
