Hong Kong Feb retail sales fall 5.7 pct yr/yr

March 30 (Reuters) - February retail sales data (percent change from a year earlier): 2017 2016 Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Value -5.7 -1.0^ -2.9 -5.4^ -2.9 -4.0 -10.5 Volume -6.1 -1.4 -2.9^ -5.5^ -2.7 -3.8 -11.0 ^ Revised CONTEXT: -- In the three months through February, the volume of sales was down by 3.9 percent, seasonally adjusted, from the preceding three months. COMMENTARY: A government spokesman indicated that the performance of retail sales was still constrained by a lack of growth in tourist spending despite a modest recovery in visitor arrivals in recent months. Taking the first two months of 2017 together to neutralise the distortions by the timing of the Lunar New Year, the volume of retail sales declined by 3.6 percent year-on-year, similar to that in the fourth quarter of 2016. Looking ahead, the performance of retail sales will depend on the recovery pace of inbound tourism as well as whether consumer sentiment will be affected by the various external uncertainties. At present, local consumer sentiment remains well underpinned by the prevailing favourable job and income conditions. The government will continue to monitor the situation closely. LINK: -- To view the full details of retail sales data, see the Hong Kong government website at: http://bit.ly/2nlFzOu (Reporting by Twinnie Siu in HONG KONG; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri)