Here are the top business stories making the headlines in the morning newspapers.
Home-price growth in north-east trails rest of Scotland
Scottish property prices have increased by more than 20% since the start of the pandemic, while Aberdeen's rose by only 5.8% and those in Aberdeenshire by 7.9%, according to new analysis.
The Press and Journal reports that overall property price growth in Scotland outstripped markets in Wales and England as well as the UK average.
Average property prices in Scotland rose by 21.3%, compared with 19.6% for Wales, 16.3% across the whole UK and 15.6% in England over the same period.
Latest move to build hydrogen manufacturing plant in Scotland
Bosses at the petrochemical giant Ineos have announced the next step in plans to build a hydrogen manufacturing plant at its site at Grangemouth.
The company plans to invest in what it describes as a "world-scale, low-carbon, hydrogen plant", adding that this will be at the cornerstone of plans to make the facility more environmentally friendly.
Ineos is inviting engineering contractors to tender for the next stage of the design of the project, and has made clear it wants the carbon dioxide produced from the new plant to be put into carbon capture at the proposed Scottish Cluster Acorn CO2 scheme in Aberdeenshire.
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'Positive discussions' over Scottish freeports
The Scottish and UK governments are back round the table over stalled talks to develop ports with special tax status, reports the Press and Journal.
Discussions collapsed last year between the two governments after the SNP-Green administration at Holyrood said it wanted to pursue its own "green ports" plan.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack had been unwilling to consider so-called "red line" requests from the Scottish Government, including payment of the real living wage.
But SNP Trade Minister Ivan McKee revealed to MSPs on Wednesday that "positive discussions" have taken place over the last fortnight.
He promised further details on the "joint approach" in the very near future, and claimed UK counterparts had "returned to the table on the basis of our requirements".
However, a UK Government source stressed it was "wrong to suggest" the UK Government has changed its position on key criteria.
Aberdeen, Peterhead, Cromarty Firth and Dundee are among the port authorities vying for freeport status, which gives sites the ability to defer tax until products are moved on.