Scottish Business Briefing - Wednesday February 8, 2012
BANKING
Strategic review of Clydesdale fuels concerns of NAB pull-out
Clydesdale Bank is set to be “reshaped” ahead of a possible sale after economic conditions in the UK deteriorated in the final three months of 2011 (Scotsman).
ECONOMICS
Inflation falls to zero on high street
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Hide AdInflation of non-food goods has dropped to zero, according to new figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) – but experts have warned that consumers are still unlikely to be in a position to spend enough to give the economy a boost (Scotsman).
ENERGY & UTILITIES
Trend of ‘social dumping’ eroding work opportunities
Trade unions representing North Sea offshore workers vowed yesterday to tackle what they said could be a catastrophic trend in the use of low-cost labour (P&J).
TECHNOLOGY
Wolfson eyes return to black but losses widen to $24.1m
WOLFSON chief executive Mick Hickey believes the Edinburgh-based chip developer has the “right products, customers and markets” to return to underlying profit this year, despite results yesterday showing last year’s losses had widened (Scotsman).
PIRC urges opposition to Optos
A CORPORATE governance watchdog has urged shareholders in Scottish medical technology firm Optos to oppose the company’s remuneration report (Herald).
Sistemic joins £5m arthritis stem cell research project
A LIFE sciences firm at the cutting edge of stem cell research has secured a €5.9 million (£4.9m) investment to help develop a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (Scotsman).