Business News Round Up (11/08/2025)
Colliers: Real estate investment ‘20% ahead’ of 2024, despite quieter Q2
While investment volumes in Scotland’s real estate sector during Q2 only reached £370 million, the full H1 total of £930m is 20% ahead of the corresponding 2024 figure, the latest Scotland Snapshot from Colliers has revealed. The £370m invested in Q2 was down on the Q1 figure of £560m, and 22% below the five-year quarterly average of £470m. Retail led the pack with £150m of deals taking place in the second quarter, up from the £40m transacted in Q1. This was boosted by the sale of the St Enoch Centre in Glasgow for c.£50m. A total of seven transactions took place over the quarter with an average lot size of £22m. Offices accounted for £100m of investment, the weakest quarterly total for over a year. Across the first half of the year investment into the sector totalled £230m, 14% above the corresponding figure for H1 2024.
North West industrial investment and occupier demand holds firm in first half
The B8 Real Estate (B8RE) H1 2025 Market Update reveals that the North West industrial and logistics market in the year to date has held firm amid wider economic and political uncertainty. Despite global economic pressures driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions, including high interest rates, the North West investment and occupational markets remain resilient, with signs of renewed optimism ahead of the move into the second half of 2025. In the first half of 2025, investment activity in the North West industrial sector saw £532m transacted across 36 deals. The figure is virtually unchanged from the £538m recorded during the same period in 2024, which B8RE says signals continued investment market confidence, despite broader economic volatility. The investment market began 2025 on a strong footing, though momentum eased due to macro-economic challenges, including persistent inflation and international trade uncertainty, which have dampened investor confidence.
Rising employment costs ‘threaten youth job opportunities’
76% of organisations in Scotland have seen their employment costs increase due to rises in employer National Insurance contributions (NICs). The CIPD’s latest Labour Market Outlook survey found that the impact is being felt most acutely in the hospitality and care sectors, and among organisations that employ a higher proportion of young people. The quarterly survey of more than 2,000 UK employers found that 37% of UK employers that hire under 21s report that changes in NICs have largely increased their employment costs, compared with 23% of employers that don’t hire young people. This is despite employees under the age of 21 being exempt from employer NICs. In response, the CIPD is urging the UK and Scottish governments to work together to support youth employment and training, ensuring that proposed changes in the Employment Rights Bill don’t create further barriers to recruitment or discourage employers from hiring young people.
https://www.insider.co.uk/news/rising-employment-costs-threaten-youth-35695861
Big rise in new North West technology incorporations
The number of new North West technology incorporations jumped to a record high in Q2 2025, according to audit, tax and consulting firm RSM UK. RSM’s analysis found a total of 1,111 new tech companies were incorporated in the North West in Q2 2025, jumping 27 per cent from 877 in the same period last year. The number of tech incorporations also rose by 17 per cent quarter-on-quarter from 948 in Q1 2025. All UK regions were up on last year, with nine out of the 12 regions recording the highest number of new tech incorporations since 2019. The East Midlands reported a 36 per cent rise in new tech corporations while the South West witnessed a 27 per cent rise. Wales enjoyed the highest rise of 62 per cent, compared to a 38 per cent hike on Northern Ireland and a 25 per cent increase in Scotland.
https://businesscloud.co.uk/news/big-rise-in-new-north-west-technology-incorporations