Here are the top business stories making the headlines in the morning newspapers.
Record Christmas sales for Sainsbury's
Supermarket giant Sainsbury's this morning reported record Christmas sales, after customers splashed out despite the cost-of-living crisis.
Overall sales were up by 7.1% in the six weeks to 7 January, the firm said.
The grocer stated that people were still keen to treat themselves at Christmas this year, buying festive snacks and drinks and taking advantage of deals.
The BBC says the cost of living is rising at its fastest pace in 40 years, putting pressure on household budgets.
Many people are struggling with rising food prices, as well as higher energy bills.
Last week the supermarket announced it would raise pay to at least £11 per hour for 127,000 of its workers as cost-of-living pressures bite.
Rail disruption for Dons supporters
Aberdeen fans are being warned of rail disruption ahead of the Dons' League Cup semi-final against Rangers in Glasgow on Sunday.
Due to engineering works taking place at the weekend, replacement buses will be in operation between the Granite City and Dundee.
ScotRail says this will result in longer journey times for those travelling, with services being busier than usual and fewer seats being available.
The Press and Journal says that, so far, over 13,000 Aberdeen fans have purchased tickets for the match at Hampden, with ScotRail urging them to allow more time for their journeys.
Archer acquisition
Oilfield services firm Archer has acquired Romar-Abrado, a decommissioning specialist based in Ellon.
Energy Voice says plugging and abandonment firm Romar-Abrado was created last year through the merger of Romar International and Abrado Wellbore Services.
Impact of strikes by Scottish teachers
Preliminary exams have had to be rescheduled for some Scottish pupils, as secondary teachers go on strike in an ongoing pay dispute.
The BBC says the walkout follows the closure of almost all primary schools yesterday.
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville told MSPs that she would leave "no stone unturned" to bring about a quick resolution to the strikes.
But she admitted that there was still "some distance" between the two sides.
Plans for minimum service levels during UK disputes
Business Secretary Grant Shapps has set out plans to enforce minimum service levels during strike action, including for ambulance staff, firefighters and railway workers.
Under the bill, some employees would be required to work during a strike and could be sacked if they refuse.
Mr Shapps said the aim was to protect lives and livelihoods.
But unions claimed the proposed legislation was "undemocratic, unworkable, and almost certainly illegal".
The new bill, published on Tuesday, comes amid a wave of industrial action across public services, with unions calling for pay increases to keep up with the rising cost of living.
But the BBC says it is not set to become law until later this year - provided it gets past opposition in the House of Lords - so will have no impact on the current strikes.
Retirement age could increase in France
France's government has proposed raising the legal retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030 in a major reform to the pension system.
Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said the changes were necessary to prevent a major deficit in the system in the future.
Reforming pensions was one of President Emmanuel Macron's main promises when he was first elected in 2017.
But the details immediately triggered an angry response from the unions, with plans for strikes on January 19.
Ms Borne's handling of an explosive reform was cautious, as she announced the proposals at a news conference.
The BBC says the PM was careful to emphasise the gradual, progressive nature of the planned changes, with extra support for those on the lowest pensions.
But, as she admitted, the reform "will spark fears and questions among the French people".
A recent poll suggests 80% of the population is opposed to pushing the retirement age back to 64.
40% pay rise in Japan
The owner of Japanese fashion chain Uniqlo says it will raise the pay of staff in its home country by up to 40%.
Fast Retailing says the new pay policy will apply to full-time employees at its headquarters and company stores in Japan from the beginning of March.
Last week Japan's prime minister called on firms to put up wages to help people struggling with rising prices.
The BBC says it comes as salaries in the country remain flat even as inflation is going up at its fastest rate in decades.
Fear of global recession
The global economy is "perilously close to falling into recession", according to the latest forecast from the World Bank.
It expects the world economy to grow by just 1.7% this year - a sharp decrease from the 3% it predicted in June.
The report blames a number of factors stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the impact of the pandemic.
The BBC says the effects of higher interest rates are picked out as the key challenge for policy makers to overcome.
UK could get a digital pound
The Government is considering introducing a national cryptocurrency or "digital pound", the economic secretary to the Treasury has told MPs.
The UK was committed to becoming a world crypto hub, Andrew Griffith said.
And the government was "a long way down the road...to establish a regime for the wholesale use, for payment purposes, of stablecoins".
The BBC says stablecoins are designed to have a predictable value linked to traditional currencies or assets such as gold.