Retail sales in Indonesia increased by 14.7 percent year-on-year in May 2021, easing from a 15.6 percent jump a month earlier. This marked the second straight month of increase in retail trade, amid a low base effect from last year. Sales increased less for food, beverages & tobacco (22.0% vs 26.7% in April), clothing (52.2% vs 55.2%). Meanwhile, sales continued to rise for automotive parts & accessories (39.6% vs 8.1%), fuel (53.5% vs 37.3%) and cultural & recreational goods (8.4% vs 7.8%). By contrast, sales fell further for information & communication equipment (-28.6% vs -31.1% in April), home appliances (-7.4% vs -10.8%). On a monthly basis, retail sales grew by 3.2 percent in May, easing sharply from a 17.3 percent rise in April.
