
Jobless total in Scotland falls with unemployment rate lower than across UK
The latest figures, for April to June 2025, showed there were 2,674,000 Scots aged 16 and over who were in employment, while 105,000 were unemployed.
The unemployment rate for the three months stood at 3.8%, lower than the 4.7% recorded across the UK as a whole.
However the employment rate for Scotland for April to June was 75.1%, with this slightly below the UK rate of 75.3%, according to the data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The number of Scots who are unemployed is down by 15,000 when compared with January to March 2025, with the latest total 16,000 lower than it was in the period of April to June 2024.
Meanwhile the employment total is 12,000 higher than it was in January to March 2025, and up by 65,000 from 12 months ago.
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Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Scots can get a 2L bottle of Irn-Bru for just 1p – find out how to claim yours
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IRN-BRU fans are in for a treat this weekend after major supermarkets dropped the price of the nation's favourite drink. Thousands of Scots can pick up a two-litre bottle of the iconic fizzy drink for just 1p over the next few days. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Scots can get a 2L bottle of Irn-Bru for just 1p until Sunday Credit: Alamy This means that shoppers will get a whopping 99.6 per cent off Scotland's other national drink, which normally costs around £2.56. The incredible deal is running from today until Sunday, August 17. But there's a catch - the offer is only available on the JustEat app to those who live in Glasgow. Those who live in the city will have to use the takeaway app to get their hands on the two-litre bottles for just one penny. The offer is available while stocks last on the JustEat app across a range of supermarkets. This includes Asda Express, Asda Grocery, Co-op, Iceland, Morrisons, Morrisons Daily, One Stop, Sainsbury's and Waitrose. Users can just add the bottle to their basket, and the discount will automatically be applied at checkout. There is also no minimum spend required for the offer, either. However, shoppers have been warned that they can only buy a maximum of two bottles per order. JustEat announced the price-busting deal this morning and urged Irn-Bru fans to take advantage. Irn Bru announces major shake-up to iconic brand - and some fans won't be happy Bosses said: "Whatever plans might be bru-ing this weekend, from summertime BBQs to footie fixtures, you won't find more thirst-quenching savings than 1p Irn Bru. "Simply open the Just Eat app and the discount for a 2L Irn Bru will be automatically applied in the menu. "There's no minimum spend either, so all that's left is to sit back and enjoy the sweet savings delivered straight to your door." The offer is subject to availability, whilst stocks last, and eligibility is determined by delivery address. The full list of participating stores in Glasgow can be found here. Service charges and other fees will apply alongside other terms and conditions.

The National
2 hours ago
- The National
If Scotland is so poor, why does Westminster resist independence?
This from a Westminster government that has run a deficit for my entire life, hence the continual increase in borrowing. In 2010, when the Tories came to power, the debt was £1.3 trillion. Under their governance, it's now reached well north of £2 trillion, despite the years of austerity that decimated our public services and which may take a generation or more to repair. WATCH: Expert debunks everything you've been told about Scottish 'deficit' Westminster has trashed the economy and then has the temerity to apportion 'our share' of that debt accrued to we Scots who had no influence in its creation. We Scots are paying for vanity projects we can never benefit from, nor do we have any influence over the political choices that waste money wholesale across the economy, while having also to bear continually higher interest rates, low wages, energy poverty and housing crises. GERS is a manufactured illusion designed to portray Scotland as bad and weak. This is the same bad and weak Scotland that English-dominated Westminster is desperate to hold on to. Why? Because we know they have long taken Scotland's resources and poured them into the UK financial cesspit to prop it up, and fully intend to do so going forward. It's they who can't afford Scotland's independence, not us. Common sense reveals that if these GERS figures were correct, Scotland would be independent by now, and Westminster would be driving it. READ MORE: Scottish Secretary Ian Murray reacts to latest GERS figures Independent, with full political and economic control, we could divest ourselves of the UK's sick economy of Europe that's long lived off its size and reputation rather than ability and strength, and build a stronger future for our descendants. Independence now is our imperative. Don't we urgently need an indy road map drawn with courage and determination rather than a seemingly cosy wee 'vote for us and we'll see what we can do' promise with the indy can kicked farther down the road? Jim Taylor Scotland THERE has been a significant increase in the number of people complaining about various plans or the lack of. Each inventor assumes that their specific plan is infallible and can produce the outcome we all seek. This is putting the cart before the horse. The problem most authors make is to not take account of the forces arrayed against us or the practical realities of plans being implemented. In most cases we probably need a combination of plans rather than just one. The circumstances at the time will dictate which plan or plans can or cannot be used. Creating plans is valid, and each of them goes on a shelf ready to be used when the time and circumstances are appropriate, as with preparing for contingencies like defence or pandemics. None of them have on their own any degree of certainty, and it remains essential that flexibility in argument and implementation is maintained. READ MORE: GERS figures show Scottish Government revenue growing faster than spending Fundamentally though, the prerequisite for pursuing any of the plans is a reliable majority of voters to start the process off. We can have as many plans as we like, but without that recognisable majority none of them can ever get off the ground. None of the plans actually recognises the need to convince people, probably because the only people who devise them speak to the already converted. If that enthusiasm and dedication were directed at those who are not converted, we would stand a much better chance of success. Internal arguments about plans get in the way of the primary need to convince a solid and consistent majority. Without that majority support, it doesn't matter whether it is Alex Salmond's ghost, John Swinney, Kenny MacAskill or somebody else leading the charge with whichever masterful plan is valid at the time. Arguing about who has the best and infallible plan is a futile waste of time and effort. Nick Cole Meigle, Perthshire OH how I really wish I shared Stan Grodynski's optimistic attitude to the leadership of the SNP in his recent letter headed 'An emphatic win for the SNP will mean no excuses for inaction' (Aug 13). I assume to help achieve this 'emphatic win' independence supporters will be asked to vote SNP on both ballot papers in May 2026. That election is now less than nine months away. A week is indeed a long time in politics, but my gut feeling is that we are heading for a result, at best, similar to the 2021 election – the SNP as the largest party but without an overall majority and another coalition with the Greens a very distinct and unfortunate possibility. READ MORE: The two plans for achieving independence are surely not incompatible I see little current evidence that Alba or any other of the small parties which support independence will reach the threshold required to turn list votes into list seats. To do so now would need the SNP to approve of their supporters voting for another independence-supporting party on the list. I see no chance of that happening any time soon. In addition, a potentially lacklustre and possibly poorly financed SNP campaign will see hundreds of thousands of independence supporters simply staying at home. The million or so SNP supporters who do vote may see their list votes result in a few extra SNP and Green candidates elected while the Unionist parties, now including Reform UK, will fill up the remaining large number of available list seats. It will be Groundhog Day – May 2021 all over again. If the SNP do really well and achieve a majority of MSPs, sadly I fear post-May 2026 there may suddenly appear a vast myriad of 'excuses for inaction'. The most obvious of which will be 'Keir Starmer just telt us NO'. The political ball will then be firmly bounced back into the SNP's court. The new SNP leader (assuming John Swinney has left the post) will have to decide on some very uncharacteristic radical action or meekly accept five more years of Donald Dewar devolution. Brian Lawson Paisley


The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Stocks mixed despite GDP surprise amid hot US producer price inflation
The FTSE 100 struggled for direction on Thursday, weighing better-than-expected UK growth figures and a surprise pick-up in producer price inflation across the pond. The FTSE 100 index closed up 12.01 points, 0.1%, at 9,177.24. The FTSE 250 ended down 49.89 points, 0.2%, at 21,801.67, and the AIM All-Share finished 2.17 points higher, 0.3%, at 759.71. In Europe, the CAC 40 in Paris rose 0.7%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt advanced 0.8%. The Office for National Statistics said UK gross domestic product (GDP) rose 0.3% in the second quarter from the first, slowing from a 0.7% expansion in the first three months of the year. According to market consensus cited by FXStreet, growth of 0.1% on-quarter had been expected for the three months to June. Deutsche Bank analyst Sanjay Raja said the UK economy found an 'unexpected second wind'. 'The economy expanded by 0.3% on the quarter. But mind the third decimal. Unrounded, UK GDP grew by 0.345% on the quarter – a hair's breadth away from an even stronger surface print. This puts the UK on course to become the second fastest growing economy in the G7 (after claiming the top prize in Q1-25),' Mr Raja said. But Mr Raja noted some areas of disappointment, such as household spending and business investment. On-month, the UK economy rounded off the second quarter with a 0.4% expansion in June, following falls of 0.1% in each of May and April. April's figure was revised upwards from a drop of 0.3% before. Goldman Sachs raised its forecasts for GDP growth in 2025 to 1.4% from 1.2%, above the 1.0% forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility. Mr Raja said: 'To be sure, the economy is growing. Positive momentum is brewing. 'But animal spirits remain tepid. 'While the Chancellor is poised to focus her budget on improving productivity – a very welcome focus for the UK – Number 11 should also prioritise lifting household and business confidence to sustain the UK's outperformance.' In the US, producer prices shot up at a faster pace than expected in July. The Bureau of Labour Statistics said the producer price inflation rate for July was 3.3%, the fastest 12-month gain since February and nearly a full percentage point up from June's rate of 2.4%. A much tamer acceleration to 2.5% was expected, according to consensus cited by FXStreet. On-month, producer prices rose 0.9% in July from June, the largest monthly rise since January, and topping the consensus of a 0.2% increase. Following a fairly benign consumer inflation print on Tuesday, the figures were seen as dampening hopes for widespread rate cuts later in the year. 'After a string of data pointing to greater odds of a September rate cut, the large upside surprise in producer prices highlights the dilemma the Federal Reserve faces in judging the risks to its dual mandate,' said Matthew Martin, at Oxford Economics. But Veronica Clark, at Citi, said strength in services in both CPI and PPI was concentrated in a few specific components and not indicative of broad-based price pressures. She continues to expect limited signs of persistent inflation and a weakening labour market will have Fed officials cutting rates by 25 basis points in September and each meeting after to a 3% to 3.25% rate. Mr Martin is not so sure. His baseline forecast expects the Federal Reserve to hold off on rate cuts until December, although he accepts 'our near-term outlook for monetary policy is walking a tightrope' that will be shaped by the next employment and price reports. The data saw stock markets ease, giving back a slice of recent gains, the dollar perk up, and bond yields push higher. In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.4%, the S&P 500 was 0.3% lower, as was the Nasdaq Composite. The pound eased to 1.3541 dollars late on Thursday afternoon in London, compared with 1.3566 dollars at the equities close on Wednesday. The euro ebbed to 1.1650 dollars, lower against 1.1713 dollars. Against the yen, the dollar was trading higher at 147.72 yen compared with 147.24 yen. The yield on the US 10-year Treasury was at 4.28%, widened from 4.23%. The yield on the US 30-year Treasury was 4.87%, stretched from 4.83%. In London, insurance stocks were the flavour of the day with gains for Aviva and Admiral. Aviva, which has more than 33 million customers and operates in more than 16 countries globally, rose 2.5% as it said pre-tax profit surged 30% to £1.27 billion in the first six months of the year from £978 million a year prior. The London-based insurer said operating profit was 22% higher on-year at £1.07 billion from £875 million a year prior. Gross written premiums were 4.7% higher at £6.29 billion from £6.01 billion. It lifted its interim dividend by 10% to 13.1 pence per share from 11.9p. 'With operating profit up 22% (10% ahead of consensus) and the interim dividend up 10% (2% ahead of consensus), Aviva's recent run of success appears to have continued,' Jefferies analyst Philip Kett said. Admiral jumped 5.6% after reporting strong first-half results, led by growth in its motor insurance business, where profits leapt 56% year-on-year. The FTSE 100-listing said pre-tax profit rose 67% to £516.1 million in the six months to June 30 from £309.8 million the year prior. Pre-tax profit from continuing operations jumped 69% to £521.0 million from £307.6 million, beating the £508 million Visible Alpha consensus. 'Another great update from the gift that keeps on giving,' said Bank of America. Centrica climbed 3.4% as it said it had agreed, along with Energy Capital Partners LLP, to buy the Isle of Grain liquefied natural gas terminal in Kent from National Grid for an enterprise value of £1.5 billion. Rolls-Royce rose 2.1% as UBS raised its share price target to 1,375 pence from 1,075p, driven primarily by 'our likely above-management pricing expectations and above-guidance margin assumptions in Civil and Power Systems, where we see further opportunity for turnaround benefits to be realised'. In an upside scenario, UBS sees 2,000p fair value as 'credible'. A barrel of Brent rose to 66.80 dollars late on Thursday afternoon from 65.51 dollars on Wednesday. Gold eased to 3,339.74 dollars an ounce against 3,356.28 dollars. The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were Admiral, up 192 pence at 3,560p, Centrica, up 5.5p at 167.6p, BAE Systems, up 44.5p at 1,776p, Aviva, up 16.2p at 675.2p and Babcock International, up 21.5p at 988.5p. The biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 were Rio Tinto, down 188p at 4,480.5p, Beazley, down 24p at 776p, Diploma, down 130p at 5,315p, Persimmon, down 26p at 1,103p, and Halma, down 62p at 3,224p. There are no significant events in the local corporate calendar on Friday. The global economic calendar on Friday has US retail sales and industrial production data.