Singapore's domestic wholesale trade dipped 2.7% in 4Q13

Here's what to blame.

According to a release by the Department of Statistics, domestic wholesale trade (seasonally adjusted) contracted by 2.7% in fourth quarter 2013 over third quarter 2013. Excluding petroleum, domestic wholesale trade declined 1.1%.
After removing price effect, domestic wholesale trade decreased 2.4% over the previous quarter.

Compared to the same period a year ago, domestic wholesale trade increased 3.3% in fourth quarter 2013. Excluding petroleum, domestic wholesale trade grew by 5.9% compared to fourth quarter 2012. After adjusting for price changes, domestic wholesale trade registered a year-on-year increase of 3.2%.

After seasonal adjustment, lower domestic sales were reported in the household equipment & furniture (-6.4%), petroleum & petroleum products (-4.2%), electronic components (-3.9%), industrial & construction machinery (-2.7%), chemicals & chemical products (-1.6%) and general wholesale trade (-1.6%) sectors.

Wholesalers involved in telecommunications & computers and ship chandlers & bunkering experienced slight decreases of 0.4% and 0.2% in domestic sales.

On the other hand, the food, beverages & tobacco, transport equipment and metals, timber & construction materials sectors registered increases of between 0.4% and 2.2% in domestic sales over the previous quarter.