Here are the top business stories making the headlines in the morning newspapers.
An innovative energy-storage project developed in Scotland has been awarded £9.4million by the UK Government.
SynchroStor plans to build a 1MW demonstration plant which will have the ability to charge, store and discharge energy for a period of 10 hours.
The test facility has been designed to outperform current battery technology.
The funding has been awarded under the Longer Duration Energy Storage competition.
UK Energy Security Minister Graham Stuart described the Edinburgh-based business, which will create a pumped thermal energy storage (PTES) system, as "pioneering".
He told the BBC: "Storing energy for longer periods is vital to build a robust and secure energy system and ensure that renewable energy is used efficiently."
Aberdeen gallery to shut
An Aberdeen gallery, which has operated in the city’s Rosemount area for more than 30 years, is to close at the end of the month.
Owner Alan Watt put Belvidere Gallery up for sale in August last year.
However, despite his “very hard” efforts to find a new owner, there has been no firm interest.
The Press & Journal says the 70-year-old opened the gallery on Rosemount Place in 1992 after spending two years working out of his home garage.
No growth in UK economy
The UK economy saw no growth in February after expanding in January, official figures this morning show.
Falls in public sector services linked to strikes were offset by growth in the construction industry, the Office for National Statistics said.
It follows a surprise 0.4% jump in economic growth in January.
Despite the flat performance in February, the chancellor said the country's economic outlook was "brighter than expected".
But Labour said the UK was "lagging behind on the global stage with growth on the floor".
The BBC says the figures come as high energy prices, rising interest rates and weak trade flows continue to drag on the British economy.
On Wednesday, the International Monetary Fund warned the UK is set to be one of the worst performing major economies in the world this year.
Alex Neil in call for forensic accountants
A former SNP minister has called for forensic accountants to be called in amid revelations about party finances.
Ex-MSP Alex Neil also said it was unacceptable the SNP took six months to reveal its auditor had resigned.
New leader Humza Yousaf confirmed on Tuesday that long-time accountant Johnston Carmichael had quit last year.
The BBC says the SNP has told the Electoral Commission it is having difficulty identifying a replacement ahead of its accounts deadline.
Inflation down in US
US inflation fell to its lowest level in nearly two years in March, raising hopes that pressure on American households will soon start to ease.
Consumer prices grew by less than expected in the year to March at 5% - marking a significant drop of 1% since February.
The Telegraph says it comes amid growing international signs that inflation has turned a corner and is poised to fall back sharply.
In Spain, it nearly halved to 3.3% in March off the back of rapidly-decreasing energy wholesale prices.
Oil spills in UK waters
Thousands of tonnes of oil have spilled routinely into UK waters from oil and gas production threatening marine life, according to data shown to the BBC.
The spills took place over five years and some of them hit areas meant to protect wildlife, the data shows.
Companies are allowed to spill some oil in day-to-day production, but 40% of monitored releases breached permits.
An industry representative said it takes all releases very seriously.
"Our industry is focused on driving continuous improvement," said Mark Wilson from Offshore Energies UK.
"Our latest data, covering 2022, published in our environment report shows that oil mass in produced water fell by 10%," he added.
Energy campaigning group Uplift obtained the data through Freedom of Information requests to the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning.
Legal challenge
The Scottish Government is to launch a legal challenge to Westminster's block on its controversial gender reforms.
The proposals, which would allow people in Scotland to self-identify their sex, were passed by the Scottish Parliament in December last year.
But they were blocked by the UK Government over their potential impact on UK-wide equality laws.
First Minister Humza Yousaf has previously described that move as an "undemocratic veto".
The BBC says he was the only one of the three candidates in the SNP leadership contest who backed taking legal action in an attempt to overturn the block.