The volume of new Junior ISA (JISA) policies opened across the UK in the last quarter was up 12% on the previous quarter, according to the quarterly Scottish Friendly Investor Index. The Index, which uses the modern mutual’s own sales data to track trends in investor behaviour, shows the appet
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Bank of Scotland-owner Lloyds Banking Group has reported a significant 20.4% drop in annual pre-tax profit, falling short of market expectations. The UK's largest mortgage lender posted a profit of £5.97 billion for 2024, down from £7.5bn in 2023, missing analysts' forecasts of £6.
A development grant from Michelin Development is helping a Dundee-based business transform its manufacturing process to meet increasing global demand for its products. Since its launch six years ago, DEW products, manufactured by Ecoanolytes UK, has seen sales take off from all corners of the world.
The UK government is considering significantly reducing the scope of planned audit market reforms in an effort to reduce regulatory burdens on businesses and stimulate economic growth. Ministers are reportedly discussing abandoning a key measure of the Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill that
Scotch whisky exports reached £5.4 billion in 2024, representing 1.4 billion 70cl bottles – or 44 bottles every second, according to the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA). The figures, released today, show a decrease of 3.7% on 2023 exports by value. The SWA has called on the UK and Scotti
The first images of a planned transformation of a historic Victorian Collectors Hall in Glasgow city centre into an event space as part of the ongoing £100 million Love Loan development have now been revealed.
Aberdeen City Council is set to discuss a proposed 7% tourist tax this week, the highest suggested rate in Scotland.
Ayr-based JST Ports & Logistics Holdings Ltd has acquired Essex firm RFS Works Ltd, with backing by £11.7 million funding from Cynergy Business Finance. The transaction enables JST to enhance the breadth of its port and rail logistics service offering, whilst expanding its operations
Armstrong Watson’s corporate finance team has almost doubled in size and successfully completed deals worth a combined total of more than £55 million over the last 12 months. Throughout 2024, the team continued to see a high level of activity across a variety of sectors, including manufa
Private equity (PE) investment in Scotland surged by over a third (35.6%) in 2024, reaching £9.4 billion, according to KPMG UK's latest Private Equity Review. The findings reflect a period in which the UK experienced a more stable economic climate, with interest rates and inflation falling; gr
The Bank of England (BoE) has lowered interest rates to 4.5%, a 0.25% reduction, amidst concerns about rising inflation and sluggish economic growth. The BoE's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted 7-2 in favour of the cut, aiming to alleviate pressure on borrowers. However, the bank halved its 2025
Scotland's Chief Statistician has published the local government finance figures for 2023-24. Councils' net revenue expenditure, which covers the annual cost of delivering services, totalled £14,296 million. Education and Social Work accounted for the largest portions, at £6,960m and &po
Peter Ryder discusses the outlook for Scotland's property market in 2025 and what both buyers and sellers can expect. As we look ahead to 2025, Scotland's residential property market appears to be navigating a series of challenges and opportunities, with many factors contributing to a cautiously opt
Housing associations face a challenging insurance market amid huge increases in premiums, research commissioned by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) has found.
New research from Grant Thornton UK LLP has revealed that, while many businesses expect they will need to secure additional funding to support their growth this year, the majority are currently finding it difficult to access the funding required. The firm’s research which surveyed 800 business
