Scotland’s economic recovery is gaining momentum, suggesting fertile conditions for growth, but pace remains ‘anaemic’, according to the latest EY ITEM Club Scottish Summer forecast. The latest quarterly GDP data indicates that the Scottish economy grew by 0.5% in the first quarter
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Insurance giant Aviva has announced a stellar first half of 2024, with a 14% rise in operating profit to £875 million. The growth is attributed to a 15% surge in general insurance premiums, reaching £6 billion.
New research from Phoenix Group has found 75% of Scots aged between 40 and 66 (pre-state pension age) say they feel unprepared for retirement, equivalent to nearly 1.5 million people. While some of this group have decades to prepare, others will be looking to transition or enter retirement imminentl
UK CPI ticked up to 2.2% in July, driven by energy base effects that outweighed a slowdown in services inflation. Analysts anticipate further gradual increases in inflation through the second half of 2024. Peter Arnold, EY UK chief economist, said: "A smaller drag from the energy category added
Gilson Gray partner Stephen Dick calls for better collaboration to boost the number of newbuild completions in Scotland and hopes the new Labour UK government will provide a potential positive influence. While the impact will largely be seen south of the border, the new Labour government has pr
The Wee Gym in Dunfermline has been acquired by personal trainer Rachael Low with funding support from the British Business Bank's Start Up Loans programme and DSL Business Finance. The 27-year-old, who previously rented space in The Wee Gym, has acquired the business from its former owner, who was
The next stage for a potential visitor levy scheme in Aberdeen which would raise revenue to be used for improvements for the tourism sector in the city is to be developed.
JP Morgan has appointed Gillian Murray to run its dedicated private banking advisory team in Scotland. Ms Murray joins the US banking giant from RBC Brewin Dolphin where she was an investment director, before which she was at North Capital Management.
Barclays has become the new title sponsor for Scottish Women’s Football national leagues.
The new UK government has cancelled a planned retail share sale of its remaining stake in Royal Bank of Scotland-owner NatWest.
Global accountancy body ACCA has called for the Scottish Government to increase the threshold at which charities have to complete an audit, to relieve time and cost pressure on hard-pressed charities. ACCA highlighted some of the problems facing charities requiring an audit, with smaller charities p
A report from the France's top audit court, Cour des Comptes, has highlighted high spending concerns after the French President's office incurred expenses of almost €475,000 (c. £400,000) for a state dinner hosted in honour of King Charles. The opulent banquet, held in September at t
HSBC Group has announced a further $4.8 billion (c. £3.7bn) payout to shareholders, comprising a $3bn (c. £2.3bn) share buyback and $1.8bn (c. £1.4bn) in dividends. This comes as the bank reported a 1.5% increase in pre-tax profit to $8.9bn (c. £6.9bn) for the second quarter.
Scotland’s onshore GDP grew by 0.3% in May, following growth of 0.2% in April, according to statistics announced by the Chief Statistician. In the three months to May, GDP is estimated to have grown by 0.9% compared to the previous three month period. This indicates an increase relative to the
St James’s Place (SJP), the UK's largest wealth manager, has staged a dramatic comeback after a turbulent period. Despite a plummeting share price, since 2022, and a £426 million customer refund scandal, SJP's newly announced £500m cost-cutting programme and better-than-expected ha
