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The UK’s small businesses will be run by personal avatars by 2050 thanks to powerful advances in artificial intelligence (AI) in the coming decades, according to a new futurology report commissioned by Virgin Money, owner of Glasgow-based Clydesdale Bank.

A coffee shop in Florence has been fined €1,000 (£847) after a customer got angry over the price of an espresso. The customer called the police after being charged €2 (£1.70) for his coffee (a decaffeinated one) at Ditta Artigianale in the centre of the city.

An Edinburgh-based team from CMS has advised Aviva Investors on a refinancing of 12 NHS primary health and integrated care centres across the Kingston upon Hull area. Built as part of the NHS LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trust) Programme, Hull Citycare Limited’s portfolio of healthcare proj

Graeme Macaloney, a businessman who operates a drinks company in Canada, has agreed to cut "Scottish sounding" names from his products after being sued by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA). The SWA released a statement, revealing it had resolved its dispute with Macaloney Brewer & Distillers L

Research from Grant Thornton UK's latest Business Outlook Tracker shows that over half (52%) are finding it harder to operate their business today, compared to 12 months ago. To manage cost pressures, 61% of respondents said that their suppliers have agreed to more flexible (longer) payment terms, a

Aberdeen-based biopharmaceutical company Elasmogen has secured an £8 million investment from BGF and the Scottish National Investment Bank, with additional support from existing investor Scottish Enterprise. The multi-million-pound investment will enable Aberdeen-based Elasmogen to continue de

X-Genix, a company in the process of spinning out from the University of St Andrews, is in talks with a number of top global pharmaceutical companies following the development of sustainable technology which could revolutionise the way that medicines are made. The team of Fife-based researchers has

Up to 35 million savers now have access to the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA)’s Retirement Living Standards through their pension scheme’s communications. In total, 124 organisations are using the Standards, including over 100 pensions schemes and some of the largest an

Total retail sales in Scotland increased by 15.3% in April this year compared with April 2021, when they had grown by 107.9%, according to the latest Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) & KPMG Retail Sales Monitor.

US investment bank Goldman Sachs has revealed that its senior staff will be allowed to take as much holiday as they want. Under the bank's new "flexible vacation" plans, there will be no limit on paid leave.

Edinburgh-based private bank Hampden & Co has appointed Hannah Berridge as head of professional partnerships. Based in London, Ms Berridge reports to chief commercial officer, Andrew Bell.

Prices in the UK are rising at their fastest rate for 40 years, according to the latest figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Biotangents, an Edinburgh biotechnology business, has secured £2.2 million of new funding made up of £1.6m from the UK Government’s Innovate UK innovation loans programme and a further £600,000 from a funding round led by Kelvin Capital and Scottish Enterprise. The funding wi

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) is set to receive the entire £14.4 million fine imposed on KPMG last week for its role in the Carillion scandal. Last week, Scottish Financial News reported that KPMG was set to be fined after a Financial Reporting Council (FR

Annual Scottish house price growth reached 6.2% in March, up 0.5% from February.