Search: financial focus

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee has opted to continue keeping UK interest rates at 3.75%, resisting pressure to hike borrowing costs despite a spike in inflation linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. While markets had anticipated a move to curb rising prices, the c

Aberdeen Investments’ Strategic Insurance Group has been appointed by Flood Re, the UK’s government‑backed flood reinsurance scheme, to manage a c. £1 billion credit mandate following a competitive public procurement process. Under the mandate, Aberdeen Investments will act as Fl

A Nationwide customer could join the building society's board for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century, after a longstanding member secured enough support to appear on the lender's annual ballot. James Sherwin-Smith, a 45-year-old from West Sussex, will stand for election at Nationwide's

As Scotland approaches a pivotal election, low confidence in the Scottish economy is already holding back investment and job creation at a time when Scotland can least afford it, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) has warned. Results of a survey of ICAS members following the S

AG Barr, maker of Irn-Bru, has reported adjusted pretax profit up 12.5% to £65.8 million for the 12 months to the end of January, as the company targets a doubling of its size by expanding into the growing healthy drinks market. Revenue rose 4% to £437.3m over the period, with cash gener

New data from the Scottish Chambers of Commerce shows nearly half of firms (48%) are concerned about business rates – the highest level in the last five years. The findings from SCC’s Q1 2026 survey highlight growing pressure on businesses from rising fixed costs, with business rates rap

Forvis Mazars' Scotland practice have achieved revenue growth of 12% in FY25, reflecting the continued expansion of its mid-market client base and the strength of its client service offering. This performance has been supported by a number of high-profile client wins across key sectors including car

Regional private equity and infrastructure investment manager Foresight Group has bought Pinocchio’s Childrens Nurseries Limited, for an undisclosed sum.

The Scottish Event Campus (SEC) has appointed Hannah Peacock as sales manager and Eimear Nelson Nilehn as marketing manager for exhibitions, strengthening its commercial and marketing capabilities as the campus embarks on its busiest year to date. Ms Peacock brings more than 13 years of experience i

Swapping credit cards with virtual replacements could help Scotland’s SMEs improve their cashflow, a senior finance professional has advised. Nicola Campbell, Glasgow-based partner and the local head of accounts and business advisory services at Azets, said that removing traditional cards for

Early seasonally adjusted estimates for January 2026 have revealed that there were 2.45 million payrolled employees in Scotland, representing a 0.2% decrease of 6,000 people compared to the previous year. While this decline is notable, it remains more resilient than the wider UK figure, which saw a

Robertson Group has delivered a sharp return to profitability, marking a decisive turnaround after a difficult prior year marked by losses on underperforming contracts. The construction, development and support services group reported a pre‑tax profit of £20.2 million for the year to 30 June

BDO Scotland’s deal advisory team has advised on 46 completed deals in 2025, with a combined enterprise value of £1.5 billion. Across the year, almost two thirds of the transactions (29) had private equity involvement, an increase of over 30% on the prior year, with a further 17 deals in

Glasgow-based charity The Robertson Trust has welcomed Vivien Currie MBE, Alison Macdonald and Dr James McCourt as new committee members. Ms Currie has joined the governance, nominations, remuneration and finance (GNRF) committee, while Ms Macdonald and Dr McCourt join the audit and risk committee.

Bank of Scotland has appointed Alison Scott as area director for Glasgow and the West of Scotland. Ms Scott will lead a team of experienced Relationship Directors and Relationship Managers and will support a diverse range of sectors including professional services, hospitality, manufacturing, retail