News

A proposed merger between two Edinburgh-based investment trusts managed by Baillie Gifford has been blocked by US activist investor Saba Capital, escalating a battle for control over the funds. Saba, led by hedge fund manager Boaz Weinstein, holds a 29% stake in Baillie Gifford US Growth Trust and a

Apex Hotels Group has formally rebranded as Apex Hospitality Group (AHG), signalling a strategic evolution in the organisation’s structure and leadership as it expands across both urban and rural hospitality markets. The family-owned business, founded in 1996, now operates under a new group st

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is working with major firms to test Artificial Intelligence (AI) in a safe place to better understand the potential benefits and risks.

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has published its annual Audit Market and Competition Update, showing that initiatives to promote a more resilient and competitive audit market have supported firms outside of the Big Four to build their share of Public Interest Entity (PIE) audit engagements. W

With less than two months until the Self Assessment deadline, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is asking people filing their tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year ‘What’s your filing style?’ and encouraging them to start now.

Equity funds are grappling with their deepest and most prolonged period of withdrawals on record, with investors removing over £10 billion in the past six months alone. According to data from the global funds network Calastone, November marked the second-worst month on record, with a net &poun

More than half (55%) of Scottish small to medium enterprises (SMEs) anticipate growth in their business over the next year, but confidence and optimism have dipped slightly compared to 2024, according to new research. The findings came from the second annual Business Baseline survey, conducted by th

More than 6,000 companies, business leaders and workers have signed up to a campaign calling on the UK government to fast-track its new North Sea fiscal regime and avert tens of thousands of “avoidable” job losses.  The decision by Chancellor Rachel Reeves to extend the Energy Profi

Rutland Square Spirits Ltd has strengthened its UK and India teams with four major hires, as the fast-growing Scottish–Indian spirits brand continues its rapid expansion across two continents. The appointments come during a period of exceptional momentum for the business, including recently re

The property market across Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife, and the Borders saw average selling price rise by 5.1% year-on-year to £299,050, between September and November 2025, according to the latest figures from ESPC. The period recorded a general slowdown in sales volume and new listing

Aberdeen has agreed to become the sponsoring employer of the Stagecoach Group Pension Scheme (SGPS), a move that is set to bring significant benefits to its 22,000 members. The scheme, which benefits from a strong surplus position, will continue to "run on". This model ensures long-term security for

NHS Scotland has failed to meet improvement commitments despite receiving record levels of funding and staffing, according to a new report by the Auditor General. Health spending in 2024/25 was over £20 billion – a £3bn real terms increase from 2019 and 25% higher than a decade ago

People who overlook long-term financial planning during a divorce can face years of financial regret, a University of Edinburgh study has suggested. Researchers found that short-term thinking at time of divorce can leave some losing out on money from paid employment, occupational pension, access to

Scottish businessmen brothers Sandy and James Easdale have expanded their industrial holdings in Renfrewshire with the acquisition of Meadowside Industrial Estate. The deal, secured for an undisclosed sum, includes 76,000 square feet of prime industrial space and seven acres of land.

Scotland’s most ambitious companies have added almost £800 million in new sales over the past two years, according to the latest UK Fast Growth Index, which tracks the fastest-growing privately owned firms across the UK. The fifty Scottish companies featured on the 2025 Index increased t