Meat producers fight back over tree planting
Facing reducing numbers of cattle and sheep being produced, Scotland’s meat-sector leaders yesterday attempted to muscle in on any future loss of farm land to forestry.In a letter to the director of...
View ArticleGrain growers warned of volatility ahead
Grain growers who are just emerging from one of the most difficult seasons in living memory were yesterday told that volatility would continue to be the main theme in coming years.Jack Watts, a market...
View ArticleScottish Business Briefing - Wednesday 17 October, 2012
WELCOME to scotsman.com’s Scottish Business Briefing. Every morning we bring you a comprehensive round-up of all news affecting business in Scotland today. INDUSTRYFrench flair saves Scottish jobs as...
View ArticleRBS to pull out of costly asset insurance scheme
Royal Bank of Scotland is withdrawing from an insurance scheme set up during the banking crisis to cover its riskiest loans, in a move that should save the taxpayer-backed bank at least £500 million a...
View ArticleScotland’s economy shrinks by 0.4% as SNP blames Westminster for decline
SCOTLAND’S GDP fell by 0.4 per cent during the second quarter of 2012 as the country’s economic output continued to decline.• GDP falls by 0.4% in second quarter of 2012• Deputy FM blames Westminster...
View ArticleSean Geddes eyes bigger slice of pizza action
SCOTLAND’S largest Domino’s Pizza franchise has moved its banking from Royal Bank of Scotland to HSBC and secured £600,000 funding for its expansion programme.Entrepreneur Sean Geddes, whose company...
View ArticleRosneft flies in for TNK-BP talks
Rosneft, the Russian state-owned oil company, was last night closing in on control of BP’s joint venture in the country.Igor Sechin, Rosneft’s chief executive and Russia’s most powerful energy...
View ArticleMinoan signs “groundbreaking” deal with Britain’s postmasters.
Travel and leisure company Minoan Group has signed a deal to operate a nationwide network of mini-travel agencies in Britain’s 9,000 sub post offices.The Glasgow-based firm, which started out as a...
View ArticleBusiness briefs: Angola launches $5bn sovereign fund | Global Energy |...
The Republic of Angola yesterday officially launched the Fundo Soberano de Angola (FSDEA), a new sovereign wealth fund with $5 billion (£3bn) of assets under management. The FSDEA will make investments...
View ArticleComment: RBS takes a major step on road to full recovery
ROYAL Bank of Scotland will clear a crucial hurdle in its recovery today when it exits the Asset Protection Scheme. It’s a move that should be universally welcomed. Not only will the bank save a hefty...
View ArticleVertu Motors shares rev up as profits jump 27%
SHARES in Vertu Motors accelerated yesterday after it said an improving car market had bolstered sales at its fast-expanding portfolio of dealerships.The group, which trades under the Macklin Motors...
View ArticleGIB gains European backing
THE Green Investment Bank has won state aid approval from Europe just weeks ahead of its scheduled launch.Chairman Lord Smith said yesterday’s approval by the European Commission was a “very important...
View ArticleIomart powers up cloud computing network
CLOUD computing group Iomart yesterday announced a multimillion pound investment in an optical fibre network to link its six data centres.Under the ten-year agreement with Geo Networks, Glasgow-based...
View ArticleRoyal Bank edges closer to full recovery as it cuts ties with government scheme
The part-nationalised Royal Bank of Scotland took a major step towards returning to the private sector yesterday by ending its involvement in a government scheme to cover its riskier assets.RBS will...
View ArticleDiageo’s strong growth in emerging markets held in check by Europe
DIAGEO, Scotland’s largest distiller behind brands such as Johnnie Walker and Bell’s, has seen continuing strong growth in emerging markets offset by a weaker performance in parts of Asia and western...
View ArticleBusiness briefs: Lightbody refurb gains two tenants | Confidence slips on...
Property agents welcomed two lettings at 45 West Nile Street in Glasgow after a successful refurbishment by landlord and bakery entrepreneur Martin Lightbody. Agents GVA and Jones Lang LaSalle signed...
View ArticleSigns of split at Bank over need for further QE
A DECISION next month on whether to print more money to prop up Britain’s ailing economy now looks a close call amid signs of a growing split among Bank of England policymakers. Minutes from October’s...
View ArticleGlobal Energy takes majority stake in Vertech
Global Energy Group, the Inverness-based company, yesterday announced its third deal in the Australian market in as many years.The energy services business has bought a majority stake in Perth-based...
View ArticleMarkets: Bulls set their sights on 6,000 mark
The latest shares rally gained momentum yesterday after ratings agency Moody’s decided against downgrading Spain to junk status.The FTSE 100 index closed 40.4 points or 0.7 per cent higher at 5,910.9...
View ArticlePaul Tucker warns ‘worst may still be ahead’ for the financial sector
THE deputy governor of the Bank of England yesterday warned there was a “tangible probability” that the worst of the financial crisis may still be ahead as he unveiled possible fresh curbs on banking...
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