Bizview: Today's top business news

Factory output contracted for the eighth consecutive month in September, performing slightly worse than private-sector forecasters had tipped. The latest manufacturing data, which showed output sliding 4.8 per cent last month over the same period a year ago, came in below economists' expectations of a 4.5 per cent fall.

Listed pawnbroker and moneylender ValueMax Group said on Monday (Oct 26) that it has discovered a probable case of criminal breach of trust by an outlet employee and filed a police report on Oct 24. The discovery was made during an internal review, it said.

Mainboard-liste First Ship Lease Trust (FSL Trust) said on Monday (Oct 26) that it has signed a memorandum of agreement to purchase a 2007, Japanese-built, medium range product (MR) tanker for US$21.8 million (S$30.5 million).

Addvalue Innovation, a unit of the mainboard-listed Addvalue Technologies, has agreed to work with China International Security Solution Corp (CSS) on a key government initiative, said the firm on Monday (Oct 26).

Raffles Medical posted a 1.2 per cent rise in net profit to $15.6 million for the the third quarter ended Sept 30 compared to the the same period a year ago. This came on the back of a 7.4 per cent rise in quarterly revenue to $101.5 million compared to $94.5 million a year ago, the company said on Monday (Oct 26).

Standard Chartered said it was closing its equity derivatives and convertible bonds businesses as chief executive officer Bill Winters tries to turn around the lender's performance.

Thailand's exports in September fell less than expected, but had their ninth straight monthly drop while imports plummeted, showing that the trade-reliant economy continues to struggle to grow.