Singapore February retail sales fall 2.5 percent, first drop since August

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore's retail sales in February fell from a year earlier for the first time since August, due to a sharp drop in the sales of food, beverages and apparel and a decline in sales at department stores and supermarkets, data showed on Wednesday. Total retail sales fell 2.5 percent from a year earlier, after increasing by a revised 2.3 percent in the previous month, according to data from the Singapore Department of Statistics. Retail sales fell 17.4 percent in the food and beverages sector in February from the year earlier, while department stores sales dropped 15.0 percent. Supermarket sales fell 15.4 percent and apparel and footwear sector sales declined 12.5 percent. However, total retail sales rose 2.3 percent in February On a month-on-month and seasonally adjusted basis, after falling by a revised 1.1 percent in the previous month. (Reporting by Fathin Ungku; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri)