Scotland's economy saw modest growth of 0.3% in July 2024, outperforming the stagnant UK economy. This follows a revised 0% growth (up from -0.3%) in June, contributing to a 0.3% increase in GDP for the three months leading to July. The manufacturing and information & communications sectors were
Economy
UK inflation has remained flat at 2.2% in August, despite a significant surge in airfares. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that lower fuel prices and slower increases in restaurant costs offset the rise in flight costs. This news comes as the Bank of England is expected to maintain
A major divide in new construction investment has opened between Scotland and the rest of Britain, according to a new report by Barbour ABI and the Construction Products Association (CPA).
The UK's national debt is projected to treble over the next 50 years, driven by an ageing population, climate change, and geopolitical tensions, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). In its latest Fiscal Risks and Sustainability Report, the OBR revealed that without increased
Store closures in Scotland have slowed significantly, with towns and cities losing less than one shop a day on average, according to PwC. PwC's bi-annual report, using data from location data specialist Green Street, tracks more than 200,000 chain outlets in over 3,500 locations to gain a picture of
The UK economy has experienced a second consecutive month of stagnant growth in July, with GDP remaining flat.
The Scottish labour market continues to demonstrate strength, with employment rates rising and unemployment falling in the May to July 2024 quarter, according to recent figures. Despite a slight lag behind UK averages, Scotland's employment rate reached 74.2%, while the unemployment rate dropped to
Scotland's private sector maintained its growth trajectory in August, according to the latest Regional Growth Tracker data from RBS. The economy was again, however, driven by the service sector, masking a downturn at manufacturers. Service firms also revealed a further improvement in demand trends,
Two major Scottish cities have improved their performance in PwC's Good Growth for Cities Index.
The Capital Markets Industry Taskforce (CMIT) has highlighted the need for an additional £100 billion annual investment over the next decade to drive long-term growth in the UK economy. The CMIT's Capital Markets Of Tomorrow (CMOT) report, led by Sir Nigel Wilson, quantifies the scal
Scotland's Finance Secretary Shona Robison has unveiled plans for up to £500 million in spending cuts to balance the Scottish government's budget amid "enormous and growing" financial pressure. Ms Robison told parliament that this fiscal year Scotland is projected to face an additional £
Scottish retailers experienced another month of declining sales in August, marking a disappointing summer for the sector.
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has released a set of reports today providing insights into Scotland’s historic environment sector and a framework to help drive its contribution to Scotland’s economy, communities, and net zero ambitions. The information released includes the Delivery
The Scottish Retail Consortium has called for injecting greater certainty into fiscal plans, spending restraint rather than tax rises, and tax competitiveness as central focus points in the upcoming Scottish Budget. In its Budget submission – entitled Realising The Growth Ambition – sent
Scotland's onshore GDP saw a slight decline of 0.3% in June, following a 0.2% growth in May. The overall picture for Q2 remains positive, with 0.6% growth, compared to Q1's 0.5%. The largest contribution to headline GDP in was electricity & gas supply, which contributed 0.3 percentage points to