British Energy in ‘advanced’ bid talks

British Energy is likely to fall into French hands next week after the nuclear generator said it was in “advanced discussions” about a £12bn takeover.

Watchdog needs more funds to manage workload

The City regulator has warned it needs more money to cope with its extra workload following the Northern Rock crisis last year.

Footsie firms may face £80bn pension fund deficit

The coming year could put a serious strain on the pension schemes of some of the UK’s biggest companies which are still heavily invested in equities and property, says a new analysis.

Equitable critics hit at FSA

Angry investors who lost out when insurance company Equitable Life collapsed seven years ago yesterday demanded the financial regulator be stripped of its consumer protection role.

Charge over insider dealing in Macdonald

A former partner at Cazenove, the blue-blooded stockbroker, has been charged with insider-dealing in shares in Macdonald Hotels before the Scottish leisure firm was taken private in 2003.

Newsquest reports dip in profits

Newsquest UK, the subsidiary of US media giant Gannett and the owner of The Herald, Sunday Herald and Evening Times newspapers, has unveiled pre-tax profits of £89m for last year, compared with £101.9m the year before.

180 jobs lost at Fife paper mill

A historic paper manufacturer has gone into administration with the loss of 180 jobs, it was announced today.

British Energy close to £12bn sale to EDF/Centrica

Scottish-based nuclear power firm British Energy is set to be sold for more than £12 billion next week.

	Slowdown in Scottish growth as credit crisis careers north
	The Scottish economy grew by just 0.3% in the first quarter of 2008, providing the first evidence that the shock waves of the global credit crunch are to rippling through to the rest of the economy.

HBOS shares surge 16.9% on rumours of BBVA takeover

Shares in HBOS soared 16.9% yesterday, driven in part by rumours that Spanish bank BBVA is considering bidding for the Edinburgh-based mortgage lender.

Bank of England split on interest rates

A Bank of England rate-setter voted to hike interest rates this month amid concerns about soaring inflation, it was revealed today.

Oil prices continue slide amid worries over US demand

Crude oil prices fell yesterday for a second straight session and are now more than $20 a barrel off a recent peak, as a US Government report showed larger-than-expected increases in inventories of refined petrol and distillates.

Ministers must scrutinise sectors to solve mystery

There are some positives to be squeezed out of latest chapter in Scotland’s official growth story. Our economy is still growing, albeit at a slowing pace. And that growth, in the short-term at least, is matching the UK as a whole.

MPC split on direction of interest rates

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee was split this month over interest rates, with one member wanting a raise and another voting for a cut, while the remaining seven chose to keep them steady as both the inflation and economic growth outlook had turned more gloomy, minutes of the meeting showed yesterday.

Thomson Litho sees red

Thomson Litho, Scotland’s biggest surviving independent printing company, fell back into the red last year as lost work forced redundancies.

More ...