Highland firms want single market, free movement
More than two-thirds of businesses across the Highlands and Islands believe membership of the European single market and free movement of people are important to…
Highlands & Islands
Scotland, Wales ‘won’t support’ EU Withdrawal Bill
The First Ministers of Scotland and Wales said the UK government’s European Union (Withdrawal) Bill is a “naked power-grab” for which the Scottish and Welsh Governments…
North America tourist spend up 40% to £641m
Visitors to Scotland from North America spent £641 million in the 12 months to the end of March 2017, a 40% rise on the previous…
Scots consortium buys Speyside’s Glenallachie
Pernod Ricard said it signed an agreement with a consortium that includes Scotch whisky industry veteran Billy Walker for the sale of Glenallachie Distillery in…
RBS pays £4.2bn to resolve US mortgage probe
Royal Bank of Scotland said it will pay £4.2 billion to settle one of two US investigations into allegations it mis-sold mortgage-backed bonds. RBS needs to…
Fraud Office probes Wood target Amec Foster Wheeler
UPDATE 3 — Oil and gas services company Amec Foster Wheeler — which has agreed to be taken over for £2.2 billion by Aberdeen-based Wood…
Scottish Enterprise CEO Lena Wilson steps down
Scottish Enterprise confirmed that its chief executive Lena Wilson is to step down after nearly eight years in the job. Wilson told the organisation’s employees…
Scots economy rebounds to outpace UK growth
UPDATE 2 — Scotland’s gross domestic product (GDP) rose 0.8% in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the previous three months — outpacing the quarterly…
Perthshire home sales up to £70m in first half
Almost £70 million worth of homes were sold by member firms of the Perthshire Solicitors Property Centre (PSPC) in the first half of 2017, with some…
Surprise as Higgins retires from Tesco Bank
Edinburgh-based Tesco Bank sprung a surprise on Tuesday when it announced that its CEO Benny Higgins would retire from Tesco in February 2018. Higgins joined Tesco…
Atlantic salmon to be tagged in conservation move
Hundreds of Atlantic salmon are to be tagged and released back into the wild as part of a new study aimed at increasing the understanding…
Scots fish farming now a £620m, 12,000-job industry
Fish and shellfish farming now contributes £620 million to the Scottish national economy every year, according to according to a new study commissioned by the…
EnQuest starts Kraken in latest North Sea boost
Shares of North Sea oil exploration firm EnQuest rose at least 7% after it confirmed that first oil from the important Kraken development east of…
Oil and gas industry ‘turning the corner’
Nearly 60% of businesses in the UK’s oil and gas industry expect to expand this year, while optimism has soared to 39% from 2% in…
Massive pay rises for top two SSE executives
The chief executive and finance director of Perth-based energy giant SSE enjoyed massive rises in their total remuneration packages in the year to March 31, according…
Investors OK £2.2bn Wood Group-Amec FW deal
Shareholders of Aberdeen-based oil and gas services company Wood Group and rival Amec Foster Wheeler have overwhelmingly approved Wood Group’s roughly £2.2 billion recommended all-share offer…
Skeoch: Stan Life ‘would sell £16bn annuity business’
Standard Life chief executive Keith Skeoch told Reuters in an interview that the Edinburgh financial giant would be willing to sell its £16.1 billion annuity portfolio after…
Charlotte Wright new CEO at Highlands and Islands
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) — which has a 2017-18 budget of £65.9 million, including £55.7 million from the Scottish Government — said it appointed…
Scotgold agrees first sales to jewellery industry
Scotgold Resources Ltd said it signed its first sales agreement with the Scottish jewellery industry involving two prominent Scottish jewellery manufacturers. The agreement covers the first refining batch — about…