ASIA PRESS: Retail sales in Singapore rose for the first time in 16
months in January, after being stuck on a downtrend since the financial
crisis began in October 2008, The Straits Times reports. Retail sales
rose 2.3% in January from the same month a year ago, the report says
citing the Department of Statistics. Car sales rose 5.4% y/y. Without
them, retail sales would have risen by a smaller 1.3% in January, the
DOS said.