News Archive

9/4/2026

Markets update: Crude rises amid Iran ceasefire concerns, causing jitters

Brent crude has headed back above $97 a barrel.   Israel's strikes on Lebanon have sparked accusations of a violation of ceasefire terms.  

9/4/2026

 
The Petrodollar Is Breaking - What Happens Next?

The petrodollar system has quietly shaped the global economy for decades.  It enabled the US government to borrow cheaply and maintain global financial dominance.  

9/4/2026

The Impact of Rising Jet Fuel Costs on Travel and Holidays Including the Hidden Cost of Baggage

In recent years, rising jet fuel prices have begun to significantly reshape the cost of travel and holidays.  Fuel is one of the largest expenses for airlines, and as prices increase, airlines pass these costs on to passengers.  

9/4/2026

 
When the Bank of England Hesitates: How Rate Uncertainty Lands in Rural Scotland

In London, interest‑rate decisions are discussed in the language of markets, gilt yields, and inflation expectations.  In rural Scotland, the conversation sounds very different.  

9/4/2026

ScotRail celebrates bumper Easter passenger numbers

New figures released by ScotRail show that more than 800,000 passenger journeys were made during the Easter weekend.   The train operator recorded 802,367 passenger journeys between Friday, 3 and Monday, 6 April 2026 - up four per cent on Easter 2025 when 772,040 journeys were made.  

8/4/2026 : Auctioneers

Dingwall and Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 7 April 2026 - Many Prices

DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (April 7th) sold 29 Prime Cattle.   Prime Bullocks (16) averaged 359.7p per kg and sold to 391.0p per kg and £2,650.50 gross.  

8/4/2026

When the World Shakes, the North Feels It First: How Fertiliser Costs and the Iran War Threaten UK Food Prices

In most of the UK, food inflation is something people read about in headlines.   In Caithness, it's something you feel in the aisles of Tesco, in the shrinking range at the Co‑op, and in the weekly shop that somehow costs more every month.  

8/4/2026

New Women's Employment Ambassador role announced as millions of working women set to benefit from landmark workplace health drive

Leading women's health campaigner and broadcaster Mariella Frostrup has been appointed as the Government's Women's Employment Ambassador, a newly created role to support working women across the country.   Mariella Frostrup has been appointed as the new Women's Employment Ambassador to champion women’s health in the workplace.  

8/4/2026

New enforcement body marks welcome milestone for employment rights but Government must give it more powers to protect all workers

New enforcement body marks welcome milestone for employment rights but Government must give it more powers to protect all workers The establishment of the Fair Work Agency is an important step towards better enforcement of employment rights, but to be a success it needs adequate powers and funding, the Resolution Foundation said on Tuesday.   The Fair Work Agency (FWA) comes into existence (7 April 2026), the day after new provisions in the Employment Rights Act on sick pay and parental leave take effect.  

8/4/2026

How the West Slept Through China's Magnet Revolution — And What Happens When America Finally Joins the Game in 2027

For more than forty years, China built the world's most powerful rare‑earth and magnet industry in plain sight.  It wasn’t a secret.  

8/4/2026

Britain's innovators backed with around £100m of new investment

Entrepreneurs, start-ups and scale-ups are to receive a boost as a package to unlock private investment and double tax reliefs is brought into force.   £100 million of new investment a year unlocked as entrepreneurship tax relief package comes into force.  

8/4/2026

Maraen and the £30M Port of Nigg Investment: What It Means for Business and Employment

When three of the North‑east's most established energy businesses.  Port of Nigg, Global Energy (Group), and Global Energy Services came together under a single new brand, Maraen, it marked far more than a corporate re‑badge.  

8/4/2026

Interest rate cap introduced to protect Plan 2 borrowers

Interest on Plan 2 and 3 student loans will be capped at 6%, instead of RPI+3%, to provide borrowers with certainty in an uncertain world.   The government is capping the maximum interest rates on Plan 2 and 3 student loans at 6% from 1 September, for the 2026/27 academic year, delivering stability and protections for graduates from escalating student loan interest.  

8/4/2026

The Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) has published its Annual Business Plan

The plan sets out how the Constabulary will continue to deliver upon its core mission, providing the vital protection of civil nuclear sites and material, while also providing armed policing services to protect other non-nuclear sites and national infrastructure.   The Annual Business Plan 2026/2027 is aligned to the Civil Nuclear Police Authority's Strategic Plan, which enters its final year of the current three-year planning cycle.  

8/4/2026

Millions of workers get new access to sick pay and parental leave

Millions of employees to benefit from reforms to Statutory Sick Pay, ensuring they can take time off when sick without worrying about going without pay.   New rights to paternity leave from the first day in a new job, helping families balance work and home life.  

8/4/2026

From Oil to Mortgages: Why the Iran Ceasefire May Not Ease the Pressure on UK Households

At the centre of the crisis lies the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping route through which around a fifth of the world's oil supply passes.  During the conflict, disruption in this critical corridor sent oil prices sharply higher.  

8/4/2026

When the Ferries Fail: How the CalMac Crisis Is Reshaping Life on Scotland's Islands

For decades, the CalMac ferry network has been more than a transport system.  It has been the thread stitching Scotland's west coast and island communities into the wider country.  

8/4/2026

The Two-Week Ceasefire in the Iran War and Its Impact on Global Oil Prices

The announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran marks a significant, if temporary, turning point in a conflict that has severely disrupted global energy markets.  At the heart of this development lies the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most strategically vital chokepoints in the world, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supply passes.  

8/4/2026

Ceasefire, Hormuz Tolls, and the Price at the Pump: What UK Drivers Need to Know

The announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war has offered global markets a moment of relief but not certainty.  At the centre of the story lies the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow maritime corridor through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil flows.  

8/4/2026

Ceasefire, Chokepoints, and Fuel Prices: Why UK Drivers May Keep Paying More

The announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war has brought some relief to global markets.  Oil prices, which surged during the conflict, have eased slightly.