News

The burgeoning market for rare whisky has experienced a significant downturn, with auction prices plummeting in the past year, according to a report by Edinburgh-based investment bank Noble & Co. The report records that the value of bottles sold for over £1,000 has fallen by 40%, with sale

Aviva has reached a preliminary agreement to acquire rival insurer Direct Line for £3.6 billion after its third takeover bid was accepted.

UK job vacancies have fallen at their fastest rate since the start of the pandemic, with businesses facing slumping confidence, rising costs, and weakening consumer demand. The KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs survey, compiled by S&P Global, signalled a further deterioration of UK labour market c

Sales rose during Black Friday week as Scottish shoppers embraced deals both online and in-store, providing a much-needed boost to retailers. The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) has published data on shopping patterns on the Black Friday week (Sunday to Saturday sales figures) compared to the equiv

Sustainability solutions firm SLR Consulting has moved into a new 175-person office at The Tun in Edinburgh following a number of business acquisitions. The move will see SLR, OPEN and ITPEnergised all working from a single base and in a better position to support new and existing clients and projec

Drilling waste management specialist TWMA has appointed Jonathan Parkes as its new group commercial director. The hire comes as the Aberdeen-based company continues to build on a period of rapid international growth and expansion.

The chief executive of Scottish Financial Enterprise, Sandy Begbie CBE FRSE, has received the Freedom of the City of London, in recognition of his significant contribution to Scotland’s financial and professional services sector. At the helm of the SFE since October 2020, he previously led the

A new report by the Scottish Land Commission has revealed a significant slowdown in Scotland's forestry transactions and low activity in large-scale land sales. Only 0.5% of Scotland's land changed hands in 2023, with forestry transactions plummeting by 54% compared to the previous year. This declin

Gilson Gray has appointed Stephen Forsyth as a legal director in Dundee.

Audit Scotland's Annual Audit Report 2023/24 has commended The Highland Council for its effective financial management and governance arrangements. The 2023/24 report, published in November 2024, has been considered by the Council’s Audit Committee. It acknowledges "the council’s effecti

Avison Young has appointed Craig Dodds as associate director to its Edinburgh Office. Mr Dodds arrives at the Edinburgh office as a specialist in commercial transactions and asset management, having spent six years at Workman LLP, working his way up to senior associate before taking up the role of a

Diageo, the owner of Guinness, has restricted the amount of the stout pubs can order in the lead up to Christmas due to "exceptional demand". Despite operating at maximum production capacity, the brewer has implemented order limits in the UK to manage supply.

New figures have revealed a dramatic increase in the number of UK taxpayers facing a 60% tax rate on a portion of their earnings. Data obtained through a freedom of information request to HM Revenue & Customs shows that an estimated 634,000 individuals fell into this bracket in 2023-24, a 45% su

Bitcoin has reached a long-awaited milestone, rising above $100,000 (c. £78,000) for the first time in its history. The cryptocurrency traded above the $100,000 mark on Wednesday night, and continued to trade in six-figure territory for half a day, into Thursday, when it dropped back under $10

A Scottish company dedicated to defending the over-50s from online threats has secured £75,000 from Scottish EDGE that will enable it to accelerate product development and support upcoming investment rounds. Glasgow-based SENGUARD has won the sum in the latest, and 24th, round of Scottish EDGE