Business News Round Up (23/06/2026)
Manchester remains best UK city outside London for foreign direct investment
Manchester was once again the best performing city outside London for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) – the fourth time in the past six years – the latest EY 2026 UK Attractiveness Survey has confirmed. On a wider basis, the North West remained one of the UK’s top four regions for attracting FDI projects in 2025, despite an overall year-on-year fall in projects. The survey ranked 259 regions across Europe according to the number of FDI projects each attracted in 2025. Across the UK, 730 projects were secured, a 14% fall from 853 the previous year, with only Greater London (279 projects), Scotland (108) and the West Midlands (68) attracting more FDI projects than the North West. The Software and IT Services sector drove more FDI projects (nine) in the North West than any other sector, followed closely by Business and Professional Services (eight).
Business leaders demand end to ‘drift and delay’ as Starmer exit leaves UK braced for change
Britain’s business leaders have called for stability and warned ministers against further tax rises after the resignation of Sir Keir Starmer left the UK staring down its seventh prime minister in a decade. Reducing the cost of doing business, unlocking more long-term investment and keeping Ed Miliband out of the Treasury sit at the top of a corporate wishlist that company chiefs are now pressing on a government in transition. Less than two years after Labour’s landslide victory under Starmer, firms are bracing for another bout of uncertainty. The worry, privately expressed by several senior figures, is that “everything will get gummed up for at least a few weeks”, with ministers effectively frozen out of decision-making while Whitehall waits for a new occupant of Number 10, most likely Andy Burnham.
https://bmmagazine.co.uk/news/starmer-exit-business-leaders-drift-delay-tax-growth
Scotland Foreign Direct Investment at record levels
New statistics showing Scotland’s foreign direct investment attractiveness is at record levels are a testament to what the country has to offer, First Minister John Swinney has said. EY’s UK Attractiveness Survey 2026 has found that Scotland remains the UK’s top destination for foreign direct investment outside London for the eleventh consecutive year. Investors cited Scotland’s highly skilled workforce, strong infrastructure and overall business environment as core strengths. One in three businesses planning to invest in the UK are now considering Scotland – up from 27% in 2024 to a record high. This shows Scotland has maintained its strong, long-standing competitive position despite foreign direct investment project numbers declining across the UK due to a challenging global environment.
https://www.digit.fyi/scotland-foreign-direct-investment-at-record-levels
Survey of Scots businesses shows 94% are using AI with majority using the technology ‘every day’
A new survey of Scottish businesses ranging from small and medium sized firms to large corporates has revealed that 94 per cent are now using artificial intelligence. According to research carried out among 50 firms by Edinburgh AI specialist Zudu, 80 per cent of companies are using the technology every day across a range of business functions. A survey carried out during Q2 of 2026 found that 94 per cent of respondents are now using AI, 38 per cent have applied AI across the business, with 19 per cent in more specific areas. Almost 70 per cent are seeing either a clear return on investment from AI or early positive signs and 75 per cent rate the tech as ‘highly important’ to their future business success.