Here are the business stories making the headlines across Scotland and the UK this morning.
Humza Yousaf eyes new tax band to plug £1bn shortfall
Humza Yousaf is considering introducing a new tax band to plug a £1 billion hole in the Scottish budget.
Ministers will hold an emergency cabinet meeting on Thursday night in an effort to thrash out the £60 billion spending plans as concerns grow about how the books can be balanced. One option still on the table is a new tax band between the present higher and top rates.
In one of his first speeches as first minister, Yousaf said he was open to a proposal by the Scottish Trades Union Council (Stuc) to tax people at 44 per cent on their earnings between £75,000 and £125,140.
Despite a desire to stop any further tax rises after the SNP’s heavy defeat in the Rutherglen & Hamilton West by-election, senior government figures told The Times that the new band was still “on the table”. This is because they are finding it “difficult to square the circle” of the budget.
Ladbrokes and Coral owner to pay £585m over bribery allegations
Gambling giant Entain will pay HMRC £585m to settle over bribery allegations relating to a Turkish firm that it previously owned.
The settlement was approved by the Royal Courts of Justice in a hearing on Tuesday.
Entain, which owns Ladbrokes, will also make a charitable donation of £20m and pay towards the costs of the case.
Its chairman added that the group had "profoundly changed" since the sale.
Air France, Lufthansa and Etihad criticised over adverts that contained 'misleading' environmental claims
Adverts for three airlines have been banned by a regulator for giving consumers a misleading impression of their environmental credentials.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the Google ads seen in July for Air France, Lufthansa and Etihad must not be published again.
The ad for Air France, the watchdog explained, had stated that it was "committed to protecting the environment" and had urged consumers to "travel better and sustainably" amid the fight against climate change.
Lufthansa had suggested that its customers would "Fly more sustainably" while Etihad's ad claimed its service included "Environmental Advocacy".
Record share of first-time buyers take out 35-year mortgages
A record share of borrowers are taking out mortgages of more than 35 years to get on the housing ladder, according to data published just weeks after the Bank of England sounded the alarm over a surge in longer-term loans.
More than one in five first-time buyers signed mortgage deals with a term of 35 years or more in September, according to UK Finance.
This is the highest share since records began in 2005 and suggests more borrowers are signing up for a lifetime of debt as higher interest rates continue to pile pressure on households.
The figures also show a record share of people climbing the property ladder took out mortgages of more than 35 years in September, with thousands of borrowers prepared to borrow well into retirement to secure a home loan.