from Insider again, today: ‘Edinburgh’s office market has enjoyed a strong second quarter after a slow start to the year, according to new figures. Office lettings between the first and second quarter rose 150 per cent to 351,916 sq ft, making just under half a million sq ft (491,885 sq ft) for the first six months of 2018.’
https://thoughtcontrolscotland.com/2018/07/12/scotlands-big-cities-boom/

From the Press & Journal today: ‘Scotland has been named the second most attractive location in the UK for foreign direct investment (FDI) after London, for the fifth consecutive year. This second-place ranking is shared, for the first time since 2013, with the north-west of England with both locations securing seven of the UK’s 78 FDI projects in 2017 while first-placed London attracted 47. The results have been taken from new data from EY’s 2018 UK Attractiveness Report released today.’
https://thoughtcontrolscotland.com/2018/07/09/scotland-second-after-only-london-in-attracting-foreign-investment/

‘In the last 20 years, Scotland has seen a significant increase in infrastructure output, rising from £1.09 billion in 1997 to £2.74 billion in 2017. There is a wealth of opportunity in Scotland as the Scottish Government and local authorities recognise the importance of delivering infrastructure to unlock economic growth.’ Upfront investment in infrastructure and major regeneration plans are unlocking cities and towns, attracting new businesses and enabling places to grow and flourish. Transport infrastructure is key in Scotland, as it is elsewhere in the UK. Scotland has also recognised the importance of training the next generation of skilled construction workers with recent figures revealing that the number of Scottish construction apprentices has grown for the seventh consecutive year.’

From Insider today: ‘Private sector business activity in Scotland in the second quarter rose at its quickest rate since August 2014, according to the Royal Bank of Scotland’s PMI Index. The inflows of new work rising at the fastest pace in almost four years prompted firms to hike employment markedly. The figures also show that growth across both the manufacturing and service sectors continued.’
https://thoughtcontrolscotland.com/2018/07/09/business-activity-soars-to-four-year-high-across-manufacturing-and-service/