| Resilient consumer spending may have helped the Scottish economy avoid a recession, but economic growth has been flat since Q2 of 2022 and will remain into 2024 when GVA is expected to rise by 0.3%, according to the EY ITEM Club Scottish Autumn forecast. The forecast adds that sentiment among businesses and households remains fragile against a backdrop of persistent high interest rates and above-target inflation, despite the recent announcement by ONS that inflation appears to be decreasing. The prospects are better for 2025 (Scottish GVA expected to rise by 1.3%) and 2026 (Scottish GVA expected to rise by 1.5%), with the economy expected to gain momentum. In part due to Scotland’s labour market demographics, growth will remain low in historical terms and is expected to lag the UK as a whole. However, when London is removed from the forecast, Scotland’s expected growth performance is similar to the rest of the UK.
Overall, a slight rise in unemployment is anticipated in 2024 to 4.2%, lower than the 4.5% forecast for the UK, whilst employment will remain broadly flat through 2024. Over the period 2024 to 2026 we forecast total employment to grow by an average of 0.6% per year, lagging the UK average of 0.9%. The EY ITEM Club says that, in the face of a flatlining economy, the Scottish labour market has held up well but there are signs of softening. Wages have grown ahead of inflation, yet, employment faltered at the start of 2023 and recent indicators show that the growth in employees has levelled off, unemployment has risen – albeit from a historically low base – and the number of vacancies has decreased.
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Law firm announces financial results and senior rural team hires
Full-service law firm Ledingham Chalmers today announces two senior rural team hires in Aberdeen and Stirling as part of its nationwide growth plans. The news
