The value of total retail sales in November, provisionally estimated at $38.7 billion, rose 7.5% compared with the same month in 2016, 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 6.9% year-on-year.

The sales value of jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts increased 7.9%.

This was followed by sales of commodities in department stores (+5.7% in value); commodities in supermarkets (+1.9%); apparel (+3.5%); food, alcohol and tobacco (+3.8%); medicines and cosmetics (+12.5%); miscellaneous consumer durable goods (+27.4%); other consumer goods, not elsewhere classified (+11.3%); electrical goods and photographic equipment (+9.8%); motor vehicles and parts (+5.3%); fuels (+4%); footwear, allied products and other clothing accessories (+5.6%); furniture and fixtures (+2.1%); books, newspapers, stationery and gifts (+0.5%); Chinese drugs and herbs (+8%); and optical shops (+5.5%).

The department said November's retail numbers reflected the visible rise in visitor arrivals and positive consumer sentiment during the period.

The near-term outlook for retail sales remains positive, as consumer sentiment is reinforced by a favourable employment and income situation, along with continued recovery in inbound tourism, it added.