Takings by retailers in Singapore fell 8.7 per cent in November last year from the previous year, mainly due to a 41.8 per cent plunge in motor vehicle sales.

Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales would have risen 0.4 per cent in the period, according to the latest figures released on Wednesday by the Department of Statistics.

Other retailers that had a disappointing month included sellers of telecommunications apparatus and computers, who saw sales sink 11.7 per cent in November from the year before.

Conversely, optical goods and books sellers, petrol service stations and department stores performed better, reporting a rise in retail sales of between 5.2 per cent and 7.2 per cent in the period.