Real retail sales in Singapore grew just 0.3 per cent in December 2013.

Sales of medical goods and toiletries, petrol service stations, department stores, optical goods and books, supermarkets, provision and sundry shops and apparel and footwear increased between one per cent and 8.4 per cent over December 2012.

However, sales of watches and jewellery, telecommunications apparatus and computers, furniture and household equipment and recreational goods decreased between 1.1 per cent and 6.3 per cent.

Motor vehicle sales – which Singapore government statistics include in overall retail sales – plunged 32 per cent, taking the city state’s official figures to a 5.5 per cent overall decline.