S.Korea department store sales growth rebounds in March

SEOUL, April 14 (Reuters) - Annual sales growth at top South Korean department store chains rebounded in March after slowing in February because of a holiday, data showed on Thursday, underscoring resilient demand in Asia's fourth-largest economy.

Combined sales at department stores operated by Lotte Shopping Co Ltd , Shinsegae Co Ltd and Hyundai Department Store Co Ltd grew 13.1 percent in March from a year earlier, Ministry of Knowledge Economy data showed.

In February, annual sales growth at these stores slowed sharply to 5.2 percent from a record 24.0 percent annual gain in January because of the variance in the timing of the three-day Lunar New Year holiday.

Sales data for the top department store chains is seen as a gauge of the strength of consumer spending in the domestic economy. Slightly more than half of annual gross domestic product is derived from private consumption. (Reporting by Yoo Choonsik; Editing by Chris Lewis)