Here are the business stories making the headlines across Scotland and the UK this morning.
Aberdeen harbour yard to turn into Tall Ships outdoor concert venue
A dockside freight yard will be transformed into a 7,000-capacity music venue when the Tall Ships race into Aberdeen.
This summer, the Peterson Seabase at Port of Aberdeen will swap offshore cargo for entertainment between July 18 and 22.
The space at Waterloo Quay will become one of Scotland’s biggest outdoor music venues, with a festival stage, food outlets and bars.
Read the exclusive story in the P&J.
High street to shed 300,000 jobs, M&S and Tesco warn Reeves
Britain’s biggest retailers have warned that the high street will shed at least 300,000 jobs over the next three years in a blow to the Chancellor’s hopes of reviving local town and city centres.
Retailers including Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s and Tesco have fired a warning shot over the future of the industry, saying a “perfect storm” of higher costs and red tape meant they expected one in 10 shop floor workers to leave retail by 2028.
The Retail Jobs Alliance (RJA), a campaign group whose members also include Asda, Primark, B&Q owner Kingfisher and Morrisons, said the number of people leaving the sector could be even higher than its 300,000 forecast.
Forres beef jerky factory to cease operations with 36 job losses
A Forres food factory which produces dried meat snacks will cease production with the loss of 36 jobs.
Forres New World Foods on Greshop Industrial Estate, which is part of Valeo Foods UK, will shut its doors on April 30.
The decision comes following a “comprehensive strategic review” of its UK businesses in order to optimise “the manufacturing footprint”.
Trump announces 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports
President Donald Trump has ordered a 25% import tax on all steel and aluminium entering the US in a major expansion of existing trade barriers.
The tariffs, which will increase the costs of importing the metals into the US, come despite warnings of retaliation from some political leaders in Canada – America’s biggest supplier of the metals – as well as other countries.
US businesses dependent on the imports have also raised concerns, but Trump has said his plans will boost domestic production.