Tesco stores sale to reduce debt

Tesco was said to be in talks over raising up to £500 million through the sale of stores.

Confidence at record low

The Bank of England is under increasing pressure after Lloyds TSB warned that business confidence had hit a record low, lending weight to predictions that the UK could face a deep recession unless policymakers cut interest rates.

	Glasgow stockbroker plans to raise £60m for tracker fund
	A Glasgow stockbroker who launched a fund management business just as Northern Rock was collapsing is looking to raise £60m for his innovative tracker fund.

Woolworths snubs takeover approach

Woolworths, the high street legend that has been facing testing times, said it had snubbed a takeover proposal for its 815-store retail division from the man who founded the Iceland frozen food chain.

Airlines face up to the plane truth

Analysis: For many airlines, the golden years of the travel boom that brought a steady stream of passengers and fat profits are fading fast. Talk of recession, or something very like it, is swirling around the boardrooms of some of the world’s biggest carriers.

Values of a Scottish education

For all the gloom about con-sumer spending trends, results from Thomas Cook last week showed that plenty of people have still been spending on holidays.

	Creed latest to leave top role at ill-fated ITIs
	Scottish Enterprise's flagship £450m commercialisation venture ITI Scotland is searching for a new chief executive after the resignation of its longest-standing executive David Creed after 14 months at the helm.

King promoted to deputy chief executive at Baxters Foods

Baxters Food Group has appointed Bill King, seen as right-hand man to chairman and chief executive Audrey Baxter, to the new post of deputy chief executive.

Sterling in longest unbroken fall against dollar since 1970s

The pound sank to its lowest level against the dollar for more than two years yesterday, and clocked up its longest unbroken losing run against the US currency since the 1970s.

Miserable weather drives sales up by 9% at John Lewis

A department store yesterday said last week’s bad weather had driven sales more than 9% higher – but in Glasgow, where the weather was even worse, fear of recession and belt-tightening sent sales tumbling deep into negative territory.

Not afraid to stand up to the big boys

Saturday Interview: ALLAN GORDON is happy to see Walter Davidson remain an independent chemist chain.

Here comes the sun, as festival spirit enters wiggling Thoresen

Business Diary: Aegon UK chief executive Otto Thoresen has always seemed, well … a little less uptight than some other senior figures in Edinburgh’s financial community. (Note: Not all other senior figures, lest we cause offence.)

Savers must choose carefully to keep ahead of inflation

Personal finance: Banks and building societies continue to launch savings products, which customers need to fight an old enemy: inflation. However, many products carry conditions.

Is there price to pay for sticking with Scottish bank?

Personal finance: Loyalty to your Scottish bank might hurt your pocket – it’s official.

High street banks hold the keys as Bradford & Bingley cash-call closes

Bradford & Bingley's £400m cash-call closed yesterday, and may leave six high street banks holding big stakes in the Yorkshire-based mortgage lender.

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