Scottish Gas owner Centrica reveals huge profits as consumers struggle to pay...
ANOTHER energy company has announced it is to make huge profits at a time when consumers are struggling to pay household bills.• £1.4billion profit comes on the back of nine-per cent price hike for...
View ArticleOfcom launches ITV and Newsnight probe
BROADCASTING watchdog Ofcom said it has launched investigations into ITV1’s This Morning and BBC’s Newsnight after complaints the shows breached “generally accepted standards”.The pair are also under...
View ArticleMarkets: Transatlantic economic woes hit FTSE
Continued uncertainty over economic prospects on both sides of the Atlantic kept Britain’s top share index under pressure yesterday.Worse-than-expected US jobless claims figures following the...
View ArticleRevvin’ up: Triumph splashes out on R&D
Triumph, the iconic British motorcycle maker, has continued to pump record amounts into research and development despite sales hitting a flat spot. The firm said profits had been impacted by costs...
View ArticleAyrshire firm wins share of £20m nuclear decommissioning contract
A FAMILY-owned construction company in Ayrshire is hoping to expand its specialist engineering subsidiary after winning a share of a £20 million contract on the decommissioning of Scotland’s Magnox...
View ArticleSaudi Arabia has taste for Tunnock’s teacakes and biscuits
STRONG sales to overseas markets, including Saudi Arabia, have seen teacake and caramel wafer manufacturer Thomas Tunnock return to growth with record turnover and profits.The Middle East, where the...
View ArticleHenderson’s in charge at Shawbrook
Shawbrook, the specialist savings and lending bank chaired by Sir George Mathewson, has named Barclays Wealth chief operating officer Ian Henderson as its new chief executive.The former boss of Royal...
View ArticleBig two fail to keep the eurozone afloat
Slender growth in France and Germany has failed to halt the eurozone sliding into its second recession since 2009 and a rebound could be some way off.The area’s two biggest economies both managed 0.2...
View ArticleHotel chains’ parent company MWB to call in the administrators
THE company behind Malmaison and Hotel du Vin is poised to appoint administrators within days as it struggles to refinance or find a buyer.But the management of MWB Group has insisted that the problems...
View ArticleComment: BP’s US Gulf settlement is just the first stage
A settlement with the US authorities over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill will help BP move forward, though it will not draw a line under one of the worst episodes in the company’s history.Numerous other...
View ArticleTed Baker’s good showing in contrast to retail gloom
Fashion brand Ted Baker brightened up the retail sector yesterday as it emerged that the bulk of the high street had suffered a dismal start to the festive countdown.The designer label said it was...
View ArticleSantander acts to back SMEs
SANTANDER is increasing its support for small businesses through finance raised in the UK government’s Funding for Lending scheme. The Spanish-owned bank accessed the first £1 billion tranche of the...
View ArticleAsda says sales growth slowing
ASDA has reported a slowdown in sales growth during the third quarter, but insisted it had turned in a “solid” performance in the face of tough trading conditions.The UK’s second-largest supermarket,...
View ArticleLSE revenues rise despite slowdown in trading
London Stock Exchange today reported a 7 per cent rise in first-half revenues despite a widespread decline in equity trading across Europe.Adjusted operating profits for the six months to 30 September...
View ArticleJohn Lewis maintains double-digit sales growth
Department store group John Lewis today reported an 11.4 per cent rise in sales for week to 10 November, boosted by strong demand for tablet computers and large-screen televisions.However, the growth –...
View ArticleCement deal nears following £285m sale
Two construction materials firms moved closer to a tie-up today with the £285 million sale of plants and quarries to a firm controlled by Britain’s richest man.Tarmac owner Anglo American and France’s...
View ArticleScottish Business Briefing - Friday 16 November 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. BANKINGWarning taxpayer may never get back...
View ArticleReckitt launches $1.4bn rival offer for US vitamins group
Dettol and Nurofen owner Reckitt Benckiser has launched an attempt to win control of US vitamins provider Schiff, which recently agreed to a $1.2 billion (£755 million) takeover approach from German...
View ArticleParkmead to build on asset base
Parkmead, the fledgling Scottish oil explorer run by Dana Petroleum founder Tom Cross, says it will continue to seek acquisitions despite having built up “a balanced portfolio of assets” with four...
View ArticleJ Smart sees boardroom pay surge
TOTAL boardroom pay at Edinburgh-based construction group J Smart rose to £601,000 last year, up from £427,000 the previous year, according to the company’s annual report.Finance director Andrew...
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