John Lewis announces sales 13% rise
Department store group John Lewis, which yesterday said its staff are to receive bonuses equivalent to 17 per cent of their salary, has announced a 13.3 per cent jump in sales for last week.The...
View ArticleBusiness briefs: Aga | Photo-Me | News Corp | Personal Assets Trust
THE maker of the upmarket cast iron Aga cooker grew profits 12 per cent to £8.4 million last year despite severe pressures on consumers.Aga Rangemaster’s turnover dipped 2.5 per cent to £244.6m as it...
View ArticleMaclay Murray & Spens takes on Semple lawyers
LAW firm Maclay Murray & Spens (MMS) last night announced it had taken on seven partners from its fallen rival Semple Fraser, including its managing partner Simon Etchells. Earlier this week,...
View ArticleUS jobless rate at four-year low as hiring grows
UNITED States employers hired far more workers than expected last month, pushing unemployment in the world’s biggest economy to a four-year low.Stock markets on both sides of the Atlantic received a...
View ArticleLomond Capital consolidate market with Aberdeen deal
LOMOND Capital has swooped on a second property firm in Aberdeen in less than a month as chief executive Stuart Pender continues to spend his £45 million war chest by consolidating the UK lettings...
View ArticlePaterson Arran shortbread to sponsor Loose Women
PATERSON Arran is aiming to build on its position as the biggest selling shortbread brand in the UK with a TV advertising campaign that will see it sponsor lunchtime STV series Loose Women.In the...
View ArticleComment: Bullish bourses build on Chinese and US growth
WHAT has gotten into the world’s stock markets? This week saw bourses around the globe reach their highest levels since the dark days of 2008.The Dow Jones hit a record high while the more...
View ArticleBridge Energy signs Norway Asha discovery deal
BRIDGE Energy, the Aberdeen-based oil and gas driller, has signed a deal with its partners to develop the Asha discovery in Norwegian waters.The Aim-quoted firm, which holds a 20 per cent stake in...
View ArticleBert Jukes to launch ‘healthy’ energy drink
A “HEALTHY” energy drink concocted by Scottish entrepreneur Bert Jukes is due to be launched in more than 800 Tesco stores across the UK on Monday.Little Big Shot is aimed at the £22 billion global...
View ArticleSportech stand to net over £80m after tax battle
FOOTBALL pools operator Sportech, which has its roots as an Edinburgh technology firm, is poised to net more than £80 million following a four-year battle with the taxman.The firm saw its shares soar...
View ArticleTaxpayer-owned RBS pays 95 staff £1m or more
ROYAL Bank of Scotland last year paid 95 of its employees more than £1 million despite running up a loss of more than £5 billion.The figure compares with 428 at Barclays and 204 at HSBC but RBS, still...
View ArticleDundee-based DE Shoes puts 31 stores up for sale
ONE of Scotland’s oldest retail chains has put its 31 stores on the market after admitting it was facing difficulties.Dundee-based DE Shoes, whose parent company William Smith Shoes was founded 146...
View ArticleSchuh chain deliver sales rise for owner Genesco
SCHUH, the Scottish shoe chain, is continuing to be a strong performer for US owner Genesco.Latest figures from the American footwear giant, which paid £100 million up front to buy the Livingston-based...
View ArticleConcern as construction sector output falls
BRITAIN’S battered construction sector faced fresh woes yesterday as it emerged that output had tumbled in the opening weeks of the year.Official figures showed that output fell by 7.9 per cent...
View ArticleBarclays gains on ‘cold’ view of cuts
London traders were unfazed by news of sky-high bankers pay yesterday as they concentrated instead on reports that Barclays is planning job cuts and pushed shares in the sector higher.Comments from...
View ArticleTesco Finest a boost for beef
Plans by Tesco to source more than 2,000 Aberdeen-Angus cross cattle a week for their Finest beef range have been described as a “huge opportunity” for Scottish beef producers. Peter Morris, who heads...
View Article‘Land prices could tempt farmers to sell’
After a number of years where the price of farm land has outstripped almost every other investment, a leading estate agent has advised farmers that if they are not entirely convinced their future lies...
View ArticleNew call for price cuts as motorists use less fuel
AS MANY as half of Scottish drivers have cut out non-essential trips to save money on fuel, according to research from the RAC.The motoring organisation says two-thirds of drivers have had to cut back...
View ArticleMany will opt out of pension plan
Almost half of employees in Scotland being automatically signed up for a workplace pension say they’ll exercise their right to opt out, new figures show.Under reforms introduced in October, millions of...
View ArticleTop ten tips: Smartphone grumbles
THEY cost a fortune and are increasingly a must-have – but research from uSwitch.com shows a staggering 71 per cent of smartphone users have had problems with their top-of-the-range handsets.As phones...
View Article