HK retail sales value increased by 28% in January 2011

Total retail sales value rose to $37.6 billion in January, according to the Census & Statistics Department.

The volume of sales of miscellaneous consumer durable goods increased 85.9 per cent. This was followed by sales of footwear, allied products and other clothing accessories, at +46.1%; jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts, at +33.3 per cent; electrical goods and photographic equipment, at +28.5 per cent; apparel, atg +25.6 per cent; miscellaneous consumer goods, at +20.5 per cent; commodities in department stores, at +19.2 per cent; commodities in supermarkets, at +16.5 per cent; motor vehicles and parts, at +15.7 per cent; food, alcohol and tobacco, at +13.6 per cent; furniture and fixtures, at +12.8 per cent; and fuel, at +4.9 per cent.
 
Based on the seasonally adjusted series, the volume of total retail sales increased 3.5 per cent in the three months ending January when compared with the preceding three-month period.

The department said the timing of the Lunar New Year, which fell in early February this year but in mid-February last year, could be contributory to the more robust growth in the latter part of January. The stellar retail sales performance in recent months mainly reflects the prevailing upbeat local consumer sentiment and vibrant inbound tourism.