SINGAPORE - Singapore's January retail sales fell a seasonally adjusted 9.9 percent from December, thanks to a sharp contraction in durable household goods and luxury items, government data showed on Friday.

Excluding motor vehicles, retail sales fell a seasonally adjusted 1.9 percent from December.

Compared with a year ago, January retail sales fell 12.2 percent.

Sales of goods such as cars, jewellery and furniture fell 14.5 percent from the previous month, but sales of food and beverages rose by 43.2 percent.