Here are the top business stories making the headlines in the morning newspapers.
Plea for dualling of A90 at Toll of Birness
A call has been made for the Scottish Government to fast-track plans to dual the A90 Aberdeen-Peterhead road near Toll of Birness.
North east MSP Douglas Lumsden wants the route dualled if the region is granted freeport status later this summer.
Peterhead and Aberdeen have launched a joint bid for freeport status, but road connections between the two hubs are lacking.
Freeports are special economic zones, reducing tariffs and special customs regulations, leading to lower costs for businesses.
Mr Lumsden, alongside Ellon councillor Gillian Owen, told the Press and Journal that the bid "cannot be hamstrung by an inadequate road network".
On a visit to the Toll of Birness with Ms Owen, Mr Lumsden again called for the project to be included in the government's Strategic Transport Projects Review 2.
Transport Scotland says it is reviewing measures already put in place before making a decision on any future upgrades.
Mr Lumsden said: "The Scottish Government has been in the slow lane for the last 15 years on upgrading the A90 at the Toll of Birness, and this especially needs to change if we are granted freeport status.
"It's imperative that this fantastic project isn't hamstrung by an inadequate road network connecting Aberdeen and Peterhead."
Jobs could go if whisky producers are levied
The SNP has been warned a proposal for the party to support a new levy on whisky firms would lead to job losses in the north and north-east.
Opposition politicians branded the idea "insane" and claimed distilleries could be forced to shut if the idea was adopted by the Scottish Government.
The SNP's Glasgow southside branch and trade union group will push for the levy to be introduced at the party's annual conference in October.
They claim it could help the government raise much-needed revenue to support families struggling to pay their bills as energy costs soar.
The Press and Journal says it is the second time the idea has been put forward, after the proposal was rejected by ministers less than 12 months ago.
The Scotch Whisky Association insists firms already pay their fair share due to high excise duty rates.
Tory Aberdeenshire MP Andrew Bowie said: "The whisky industry more than pays its way for the UK economy.
"This insane levy idea has nothing to do with taxing fat cats. It would attack jobs across Scotland, close distilleries in my constituency and threaten our internationally-recognised brands."
Ticket-office staff to vote on 8% pay offer
Ticket office staff will vote on an 8% pay deal in a break with other railway workers that risks undermining union calls for a general strike.
The Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) will allow 2,000 of its members to vote on the two-year pay offer, in a blow to staunch union ally the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers union (RMT).
Although the TSSA does not support the offer from Network Rail, the move differs from the approach taken by the RMT, which has refused to put the deal to its members.
The Telegraph says the split threatens to undermine the RMT's calls for a general strike and suggests some union leaders could be coming under pressure over lost pay amid Britain's "summer of discontent".
New ventures by BP and Iberdrola
Iberdrola and BP plan to form new ventures aimed at rolling out electric vehicle (EV) charging and green hydrogen infrastructure across Spain, Portugal and the UK.
The pair announced memoranda of understanding for a new "strategic collaboration" on Thursday, which they said would "significantly expand" public fast-charging sites for EVs, and support the development of new green hydrogen production hubs across Europe and the UK.
A joint venture will be formed to build-out new, large-scale integrated green hydrogen production, as well as production of derivatives such as green ammonia, and methanol.
Energy Voice says the companies aim to jointly develop hydrogen production hubs in Spain, Portugal and UK, up to a total capacity of up to 600,000 tonnes per year, and supplied by new renewable power.
Dinosaur skeleton goes for £5million
A rare ancient dinosaur skeleton has been sold in the US to an unknown buyer for £5million.
It was offered up by Sotheby's and sold at the firm's natural history auction in New York City on Thursday.
The fossil is that of a Gorgosaurus - a distant relative of the infamous and deadly Tyrannosaurus Rex - that was discovered in 2018.
The BBC says the anonymous buyer will have the unique opportunity to bestow a nickname on the one-time apex predator.