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The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has urged the Scottish Government to use January’s Scottish Budget to protect small businesses facing significant non-domestic rates rises. Some of the stalwarts of local high streets, including independent pubs and post offices, are facing huge rates r

The CyberScotland Partnership has announced the addition of three new Partner organisations: Business Gateway, the Institute of Directors (IoD) Scotland and the Cyber and Fraud Hub. The announcement comes as preparations begin for CyberScotland Week 2026.

The Bank of England has delivered a pre-Christmas boost to borrowers, cutting the base interest rate by 25 basis points to 3.75%. This reduction, which brings rates to their lowest level in nearly three years, was driven by a deteriorating labour market and signs that price rises will continue to sl

Aberdeen Investments has agreed to acquire the management of closed-end fund (CEF) assets totalling £1.5 billion from MFS. The deal reinforces Aberdeen’s position as the fifth-largest CEF manager globally, raising its managed assets in the sector to over £21.4bn.

Expectations for the housing market in Scotland improved last month as more buyers made enquiries and more sellers listed their properties, according to the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Residential Market Survey. A net balance of 39% of respondents in Scotland expect that h

A survey by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has captured the worries of the UK business community, which is seen as adding to an already complex tax system and lacking in direction to promote economic growth. The poll, drawing on feedback from finance professionals working

Leading figures in the Scotland's whisky industry have criticised Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ decision to increase alcohol duty in the Autumn Budget, warning the move will stifle growth, cost jobs, and reduce government revenue. The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) described the RPI inflation-lin

Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her second Budget today under chaotic circumstances, as the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) accidentally released its economic forecasts before she had even taken to the despatch box. Reeves branded the breach "deeply disappointing" and a "serious error", co

An increase in public sector borrowing is intensifying pressure ahead of the Autumn Budget, Professor Joe Nellis writes. Public sector borrowing came in at £17.43bn for October, painting a challenging picture for the public finances and reinforcing the fiscal squeeze facing the Chancellor ahea

Dundee-based SPAR wholesaler and convenience retailer CJ Lang & Son Ltd has reported a small rise in turnover to £255 million and a decline in operating profit to £2.5 million. In its financial statement for the year ended 27 April 2025, the family-owned business reported a year of r

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has stressed that the fight against fraud must continue as its annual detected fraud data reveals that £1.16 billion worth of fraudulent general insurance claims were identified in 2024 – a 2% increase on the £1.14bn detected the previous y

Insolvency-related activity rose by 17% in Scotland last month, according to R3. The restructuring, turnaround and insolvency trade body's analysis of data provided by CreditSafe indicated an increase in insolvency-related activities from 106 in September to 124 in October.

KPMG is reducing the pay ranges for new and promoted staff in its UK offices near London, aligning salaries in commuter belt towns such as Reading and Watford with regional centres like Birmingham and Manchester. The shake-up means individuals joining or achieving promotion in these locations may be

Scotland’s mainstream housing market is forecast to be one of the top-performing regions in the UK, with property values projected to rise by 27.6% over the next five years, according to new analysis from Savills. This robust growth significantly outpaces the 22.2% increase Savills projects fo

Based on its third-quarter results, Standard Chartered PLC has upgraded its full-year outlook after a strong performance driven by its wealth and global banking divisions. For the three months ending 30 September 2025, the bank reported an underlying operating income of $5.1 billion (c. £3.9bn