Covid-19

Dundee-based investment company Alliance Trust has announced its first interim dividend of 3.595p per share payable for the year ending 31 December 2019, marking a 3% increase in the firm's dividend payout for the 53rd consecutive year. The payout follows the announcement made in March tha

The Scottish Government has awarded £388 million to businesses in Scotland according to the latest figures published today which highlight the volume and value of grants being awarded under its 'Retail, Hospitality & Leisure' and 'Small Businesses' coronavirus grants schemes.

Business interruption insurance provider Hiscox is preparing itself for a legal battle after a dispute between the company and some of its business customers has led policyholders to hire Mishcon de Reya to launch legal action against the insurer. Mishcon de Reya has been hired by a group

Iain Young, partner at Morton Fraser, comments on the importance for companies of reviewing their articles of association at this time. The social distancing restrictions imposed by the UK government has meant that all businesses have moved to remote working arrangements where it is possible for the

Katharine Wooller, managing director at Dacxi and Eire, a crypto-based platform which helps bring cryptocurrency to 'the crowd', discusses how the coronavirus pandemic is killing cash and what might replace it. The first time I saw a shop declaring itself cashless, it was unusual enough I took a pic

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will be introducing a package of measures outlined last week to support consumer credit customers facing payment difficulties due to coronavirus.

UK retail sales in March hit record lows as sakes volumes dropped by 5.1% according to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data. 

Those with offshore assets, income or gains are being treated differently from other taxpayers in terms of HMRC’s approach to the impact of COVID-19 warns tax and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg. Fiona Fernie, a tax risk and dispute resolution partner at the firm, said: “&n

The CBI has outlined a comprehensive range of measures aimed at accelerating emergency support to distressed firms amid the continuing COVID-19 crisis.

Scottish Building Society chief executive Paul Denton has forecast that Scotland’s £18 billion housing market will experience two waves of bounce-back when the country emerges from lockdown. Mr Denton expects that the market will return to pre-COVID-19 levels. 

KPMG is forecasting negative GVA (Gross Value Added) in Scotland of at least 8.1% in 2020, as the full economic cost of COVID-19 becomes increasingly clear. The analysis, which is based on the sectoral makeup of Scotland, predicts a significant drop this year, followed by a potential GVA growth in 2

Edinburgh-based private bank Hampden & Co is taking a proactive approach with clients in order to mitigate the impact of coronavirus as the wider banking sector feels the strain of the coronavirus pandemic. Hampden’s banking team has been reaching out to support existing clients aroun

The Royal Bank of Scotland is working with NHS Lothian and the Rainbow Box Foundation to provide support for all coronavirus patients in the region. The bank, through its 300 Fund, will cover the cost of Rainbow Boxes for all COVID-19 patients entering hospital, providing all patients with toiletrie

The banking and finance sector has lent over £2.8 billion to SMEs so far through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), according to the latest data from UK Finance.

Widespread business shutdowns at home and abroad in response to the coronavirus pandemic has unsurprisingly resulted in a rapid reduction in UK private sector output during April, according to latest IHS Markit/ CIPS Flash UK Composite PMI.