FEW ready reckoners on our economic wellbeing are more closely followed than high-street shopping.

THE Scottish Government is poised to unveil a skills investment strategy for the IT and digital media sector in an effort to stem an impending crisis for talent that threatens to thwart growth.

PROPERTY developer Ediston has its sights set on doing more deals in Edinburgh following the official launch of its £10 million speculative office development.

TWO of Scotland’s best-known business angels are setting up an investment fund to inject money into later-stage companies that have lost steam during the recession.

IT’S time, it seems, to fill your boots with “smart beta”. This is the new, or nearly new, “must-have”. It certainly sounds better than “dumb alpha”.

FOR more than 40 years Scots business leaders and policymakers have agonised over our record in business growth and entrepreneurship. Why were we trailing the UK in business start-up and survival rates?

THOUSANDS of investors have lost money in the high-risk schemes featured in the main story on this page – yet so much of that distress could easily have been avoided.

SMART metering group Cyan Holdings recently announced it had narrowed operating losses despite a fall in revenues.

INVESTORS have been told to be vigilant as unscrupulous advisers push high-risk unregulated investments before a ban on selling them takes effect next year.

A FINANCIAL adviser should be a professional who you totally trust: someone with integrity and good judgment. The individual should understand your financial position, personal situation and aspirations.

NO-ONE knows what is round the corner. Yet while planning for the unknown makes sense, still far too few take the right step. Whether it is an illness, disability or death that finds a household struggling financially, having the right protection in place can ensure a home and lifestyle are protected.

THERE has been much focus on the subject of tax avoidance. This has inevitably given rise to discussion as to what is legitimate tax planning and what crosses the line as far as HMRC is concerned.

IF YOU are watching your state pension age slip further away and are a bit concerned about those universal benefits disappearing before you even get to retirement, then make the most of the time you have to re-assess your planning.

PROPERTY developer Chris Stewart Group is expecting to win sensitive regeneration projects across the UK as it nears completion of its 
£45 million redevelopment of Advocate’s Close behind Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.

THE SON of late Scots-Cypriot hotel magnate Sir Reo Stakis has chosen Edinburgh as the first location for his planned chain of nurseries.

THE number of companies at a Scottish Government backed technology incubator has nearly doubled to 21, creating 31 jobs in software, electronics, energy, digital media and medical technology sectors over the past 18 months, a new evaluation has shown.

SCOTTISH inventors could be landed with higher costs when trying to protect their patents if a bill working its way through parliament is not amended, lawyers have warned.

EDINBURGH City Council is at risk of “losing control” of house construction as builders seek to address a shortfall in space set aside for residential development.

TWO Edinburgh men have launched an app for the ­restaurant and bar trade which is expected to bring in revenues of £400,000 in its first year and aims to save ­users money.

TRADERS in South Queensferry are in dispute over plans to raise the business improvement district (Bid) levy.