Scottish Business Briefing – Thursday 11 October, 2012

Published on 11/10/2012 09:01

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.

ECONOMICS

From high street to factory floor to hotel room, slump worsens

SCOTTISH firms have suffered deteriorating business conditions and there are few signs of an economic recovery, a report by the Scottish Chambers of Commerce claims today. A decline in manufacturing, demand, retail, the tourism industry and construction have all been identified by the business organisation in its report on the third quarter of 2012 (Scotsman)

Read all today’s economics news from scotsman.com

INSURANCE

Direct Line shares to value insurer at £2.625bn

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has said it will float insurer Direct Line on the stock market at a total valuation of £2.625bn or 175 pence per share. RBS said it was initially selling at least 30% of the firm for £787m. Private investors are expected to buy about half of the issue ({

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19906684|BBC|BBC})

Read all today’s insurance news from scotsman.com

ENERGY & UTILITIES

300 ScottishPower call centre jobs in Glasgow unveiled

SCOTTISHPOWER is creating 300 call centre jobs in Glasgow in a deal worth £20 million to outsourcing firm Response UK over a three-year contract. Response will handle calls from the company’s electricity and gas customers (Scotsman)

Energy fund offers £103m ‘vital catalyst’ funding for renewables

THE LAUNCH of a £103 million renewable energy fund has been described as a “vital catalyst” in attracting private investment into green projects north of the Border. Backers of the fund, which was unveiled yesterday by First Minister Alex Salmond and will be run by the Scottish Investment Bank, expect the first deals to be completed by the end of the year (Scotsman

Read all today’s energy and utilities news from scotsman.com

INDUSTRY

Scots pallet supplier goes from strength to strength

Fife-based Scott Group, the UK’s biggest supplier of wooden pallets to industry, has reported another strong year of growth and expects further acquisitions (The Herald)

Read all today’s industry news from scotsman.com

MEDIA & LEISURE

Rangers football club to float shares on AIM market

Rangers football club has formally announced that it intends to float its shares on the AIM market in London. The club said it intended to raise up to £20m through an institutional investor placing and limited public offering. Fans wanting to invest have been invited to register their interest (BBC)

Read all today’s media and leisure news from scotsman.com