Here are the business stories making the headlines across Scotland and the UK this morning.
Meta hooked children on Facebook and Instagram, US court hears
A court has heard claims Meta intentionally hooked a generation of children on Facebook and Instagram, as the biggest legal challenge faced by the social media platform began.
A jury in Oakland, California will spend the next six weeks wading through claims by top attorneys from several US states and lawyers for the social media company.
A lawyer for California claimed Meta found "millions" of 11 and 12-year-olds were on Instagram and "did little to keep them off" as the trial opened on Tuesday.
Read the latest from the BBC.
Global borrowing costs hit fresh highs over oil, AI and inflation concerns
Long-term borrowing costs across some of the word's biggest economies hit fresh highs because of concerns over inflation, government debt levels and spending on Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The interest rate on US borrowing over 30 years hit 5.33% on Tuesday, the highest since June 2007, meanwhile UK long-term debt reached 5.85%. There were similar moves in Germany and Japan.
Interest rates on bonds - which are a type of debt - are known as yields and can directly affect the borrowing costs consumers pay on mortgages, car loans and credit cards.
Read the BBC story here.
Aberdeen bars nominated for Scotland’s longest-running pub awards
Two Aberdeen venues have been nominated for this year’s Scottish Bar and Pub Awards.
The accolades are the country’s longest-running celebration of pubs, bars and restaurants, having launched 31 years ago.
More than 600 of Scotland’s hospitality chiefs will gather on September 1 for the ceremony to find out who will take home the highest hospitality honours.
Read the full story in The Press and Journal.
Chinese robotics giant Unitree soars in stock market debut
The world's biggest humanoid robot maker Unitree Robotics made its stock market debut in Shanghai on Wednesday, with its shares soaring by more than 600% in early trading.
In the highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO), the Chinese firm's shares opened at 1,100 yuan (£120.60; $163.12), before giving up some of the gains to trade at around 900 yuan.
The listing on the technology-focused Star Market - which is widely known as China's Nasdaq - marks a milestone for Beijing's ambitious plans for the country's robotics industry.
Find out more on the BBC website.
National Express buses to become publicly owned
The transport company behind National Express has agreed a £24 million deal to sell its last remaining UK bus operations, bringing them into public hands after more than three decades.
Mobico announced plans on Tuesday to offload its West Midlands bus business to the West Midlands Combined Authority, which comprises local councils including Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Dudley and Solihull.
The deal was welcomed by Andy Burnham, who said it was “just the start” of his devolution agenda and would mean “better, more affordable” services for the region.
Read more in The TImes.
Mike Ashley’s Frasers tightens grip on Hugo Boss
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has tightened its grip on Hugo Boss but not by enough to take control of the German fashion house.
In a brief stock exchange statement, Frasers said that 17.6 per cent of investors had accepted its takeover offer, taking its stake to nearly 48 per cent.
The owner of Sports Direct launched a £1.7billion bid for Hugo Boss last month, part of a recent dealmaking spree which has included the acquisition of Harvey Nichols, the luxury department store chain, and a takeover offer for Accent, the Australian owner of The Athlete’s Foot shoe brand.
Get the full story in The Times.