SINGAPORE, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's retail sales decreased by 1.4 percent in November 2009 compared with a year ago, according to Singapore Department of Statistics on Friday.

    Turnover of motor vehicles in November 2009 decreased by 16 percent, while food and beverages sales fell by 3.1 percent over a year ago.

    In contrast, sales of watches and jewelry, medical goods and toiletries, furniture and household equipment increased by between 7.2 percent and 14.8 percent. Wearing apparel and footwear, telecommunications apparatus and computers, petrol service stations, recreational goods also reported increases of between 1.3 and 4.4 percent over a year ago.

    On a month-on-month seasonally adjusted basis, retail sales increased by 1.2 percent in November 2009 compared with October 2009.

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