SINGAPORE, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's retail sales fell 3.6 percent year-on-year in February, following a 4.7-percent growth in January, according to data released Friday by the Singapore Department of Statistics.

The department attributed the year-on-year drop partly to the timing of the Chinese New Year, which occurred in February last year but was celebrated in January this year.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, retail sales rose 3.0 percent from the previous month. Total retail sales for February were estimated at 3.8 billion Singapore dollars (approximately 2.85 billion U.S. dollars), with online sales accounting for 12.3 percent, up from 11.6 percent in January.

Most retail sectors recorded year-on-year declines. Sales in the wearing apparel and footwear industry contracted by 18.4 percent, primarily due to weaker demand for clothing.

Food and beverage service sales also declined, falling 5.6 percent year-on-year, reversing the 10.3-percent growth seen in January. The total sales value for the sector in February was estimated at 961 million Singapore dollars. (1 Singapore dollar equals 0.75 U.S. dollars) Enditem

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