SINGAPORE, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's retail sales rose by 1.4 percent year-on-year in May, building on the 0.2 percent growth recorded in April, according to data released Friday by the Singapore Department of Statistics.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, retail sales also increased by 1.0 percent compared to the previous month.

Total retail sales for May were estimated at 4.2 billion Singapore dollars (approximately 3.32 billion U.S. dollars), with online transactions accounting for 12.3 percent of overall sales, slightly lower than the 12.7 percent recorded in April.

Meanwhile, sales in the food and beverage services sector rose by 1.4 percent year-on-year in May, extending the 1.3 percent growth seen in April. The sector's total sales value was estimated at 1.0 billion Singapore dollars. (1 Singapore dollar equals 0.79 U.S. dollars) ■