Economy

Scotland’s onshore GDP contracted by 0.2% in April 2025, according to statistics announced by the Chief Statistician, following contraction of 0.4% in March 2025 (revised from contraction of 0.2%). In the three months to April, GDP is estimated to have contracted by 0.2% compared to the previo

The value of goods and services produced in Edinburgh per head of population has surpassed London’s for the first time, according to economic data recently published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

UK CPI inflation has remained frozen at 3.4% in May, after the Office for National Statistics corrected April's 3.5% reading to 3.4%. Annual food inflation surged to 4.4% last month, a notable rise from 3.4% in April. This was spurred by the fastest-ever recorded increases in the price of sugar, jam

Scotland has secured 135 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in 2024 and cemented its reputation as the top UK FDI location outside London after marking a decade in the position. Despite a drop of seven projects (-4.9%) on the year before, this is still the second highest annual number of proje

Scottish economic growth could exceed the wider UK economy in 2026, according to KPMG’s latest European Economic Outlook. KPMG forecasts Scotland’s GDP will grow by 1.2% in 2026, slightly ahead of the 1.1% growth rate forecasted for the UK. The firm’s report predicts Scottish busin

The UK economy contracted by 0.3% in April, a sharper decline than economists had forecast. Data released by the Office for National Statistics on Thursday revealed a more substantial downturn than the 0.1% contraction that had been anticipated, reversing the 0.2% growth seen in March.

Reflecting wider trends, the Scottish economy is currently in a fragile state, exacerbated by the US's recent announcement of 10% tariffs on all imports, which has dampened business and consumer confidence, according to the latest EY ITEM Club Scotland forecast. The US tariffs are likely to have an

A Bank of England (BoE) rate-setter has played down the recent surge in UK inflation, reiterating his call for additional interest rate reductions. Alan Taylor, a member of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), attributed the latest inflation increase to "one-off factors", specifically citing US Pres

UK government borrowing unexpectedly rose to £20.2 billion in April, the first month of the new tax year, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This figure is an increase from the £19.1bn shortfall recorded in April 2024 and surpassed economists' forecasts o

UK inflation jumped more sharply than anticipated during April, reaching 3.5% – its highest level in over a year. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that the surge in the consumer prices index (CPI) for April was largely driven by dramatic increases in regulated household costs,

ScottishPower's parent company, Iberdrola, has agreed to sell its UK smart meters business, SP Smart Meter Assets (SPSMA), to the Australian financial services group Macquarie in a deal valued at approximately €1,060 million (c. £900m). The transaction is currently awaiting approval from

The UK economy demonstrated its strongest growth in a year during the first quarter, expanding by 0.7% and surpassing City forecasts. This unexpected upturn was significantly driven by businesses increasing investment and exports, reportedly to pre-empt the impact of anticipated US tariffs under Don

Scotland's unemployment rate rose to 4.3% in the three months to March 2025, an increase of 0.5 percentage points from the previous quarter, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.

Firms have reported that increased global economic uncertainty, particularly related to US tariff announcements, is significantly impacting demand across various regions. The Royal Bank of Scotland Growth Tracker – a seasonally adjusted index that measures the month-on-month change in the comb

Scotland’s economic growth is being held back by a chronic shortage of housing, and urgent action is required to remove this barrier to investment and jobs, a new report from Prosper (Scottish Council for Development and Industry) has warned today. Drawing on insights from over 100 stakeholder