People run into a shopping mall after police fired tear gas in the Central district of Hong Kong on November 11, 2019.

Hong Kong's retail sales in October fell by their steepest on record, as ongoing anti-government protests that have gripped the Chinese-ruled city for nearly six months scared off tourists and hit spending.

Retail sales in October fell 24.3% from a year earlier, government data showed on Monday, against a revised 18.2% drop in September and a 23% fall in August, as violent clashes spread across shopping districts and took a heavy toll on malls and restaurants.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam renewed her appeals for peace in the Chinese-ruled city but failed to offer any concessions to anti-government protesters despite a resounding victory for pro-democracy parties in local elections.

Protests have sprung up on an almost daily basis since June, with crowds gathering with little notice, at times forcing the government, businesses, schools and even the international airport to close.

Market analysts say the outlook is overshadowed by the protests and a weak Chinese yuan that translates into weaker spending.

Retail operators, from prime shopping malls to family-run businesses, have been forced to close for multiple days over the past few months.

Retail sales fell to HK$30.1 billion ($3.85 billion) in October, a ninth consecutive month of decline. In volume terms, retail sales in October fell 26.2%, compared with a revised 20.3% drop in September.

"The local social incidents with increasing violence depressed consumption sentiment and severely disrupted tourism- and consumption-related activities," a government spokesman said.

The government will monitor the implications for the labor market and the economy, he added.