Hong Kong's total retail sales value in January, provisionally estimated at 43.2 billion HK dollars (about 5.57 billion U.S. dollars), increased by 14.9 percent over a year earlier, the city's Census and Statistics Department announced Thursday.

The department released the latest figures on retail sales in the day, saying after netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the volume of total retail sales increased by 9.1 percent in January compared with a year earlier.

The revised estimate of the value of total retail sales in December 2011, at 43.1 billion HK dollars, increased by 23.5 percent over December 2010, while the volume of total retail sales increased by 17.1 percent.

Analyzed by the broad type of retail outlet and comparing January 2012 with January 2011, the volume of sales of miscellaneous consumer durable goods increased the most, by 89.4 percent.

Based on the seasonally adjusted series, the volume of total retail sales increased by 0.9 percent in the three months ending in January 2012 compared with the preceding quarter.

A government spokesman noted that retail sales grew appreciably further in January 2012 over a year earlier, though at a less rapid pace than that seen in the past two years.

Looking ahead, the improved income conditions and the prevailing strength of inbound tourism should continue to render support to the retail business in the near term, the spokesman said.

"However, we need to stay vigilant to the headwinds on the external front and closely monitor how they will impact the local economy and consumer sentiment down the road," he added.