SRA to embark on LEAD+ programme to help Singapore retail sector boost productivity THE Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) will embark on the Local Enterprise and Association Development Plus (LEAD+) programme to lead the retail industry to enhance productivity, business growth and industry competitiveness.

Incubator for designers and other initiatives planned to rejuvenate Singapore retail scene SPRING is working with department stores to explore the incubation of local and regional designers, with the aim of providing them access to the overseas market.

Cromwell European Reit talks IPO at 0.55 to 0.57 euro per unit, targets Sept 28 listing CROMWELL Property Group hopes to raise up to 1.25 billion euros (S$2 billion) in a Singapore initial public offering of a European property real estate investment trust (Reit) by the end of September, according to a preliminary prospectus lodged on Friday.

Singdollar rises to over a year's high as US dollar tumbles THE Singapore dollar rose to more than a year's high overnight after fresh weakness in the US currency.

Nam Cheong unit selling its Suntec office lots for S$25m TROUBLED shipbuilder Nam Cheong Limited's unit is disposing of its office lots at Suntec Tower Three for S$25 million to a third party purchaser, said the company in a Singapore Exchange filing late on Thursday night.

HNA unit makes formal offer for its takeover of CWT CHINESE conglomerate HNA Holding Group has made a formal offer for its S$1.4 billion privatisation offer for CWT Limited, following a general meeting on Thursday to seek shareholders' approval to go ahead with the deal.

Former VP sentenced to 14 years jail for money laundering and cheating: CPIB LINDA Lee, a former vice-president (Asset Management) of United Engineers Developments, a unit of United Engineers (UEL), has been sentenced on Friday to 14 years' imprisonment for money laundering and cheating offences, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said.

The STI Today

Singapore stocks finish Friday mixed; STI down 1.5% for week NORTH Korea's nuclear test last weekend brought the sellers out in the early part of the week, though prices stabilised when it appeared that the US's response would be mainly through diplomatic channels.