Here are the top business stories making the headlines in the morning newspapers.
Engineering consultancy acquired from administration
Nearly 50 jobs have been saved and about the same number are expected to be created after the acquisition of engineering consultancy Optimus (Aberdeen) from administration.
The Press and Journal says Granite City-based PD&MS Group bought Optimus for an undisclosed sum after it was put into administration by its own bosses on January 25.
It is thought the impact of Covid and the oil and gas downturn on cash flow prompted the move. The firm employs 45 people and all, including chief executive Chris West, has been kept on.
The new owner aims to double the headcount within a year.
The business now operates as Optimus Plus (Aberdeen) - a subsidiary of global engineering consultancy PD&MS, which employs around 550 in Scotland and 100 overseas.
Oil prices set for biggest monthly gain in almost a year
The oil price was still above the $90 a barrel mark this morning, with the March contract for Brent crude up $1.06 at $91.09.
Reuters reports that supply concerns and political tensions in Eastern Europe and the Middle East have put prices on track for their biggest monthly gain in almost a year.
Brent crude and US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude are headed for about 17% gains this month - the most since February 2021.
"Underlying anxiety about global supply shortages, coupled with ongoing geopolitical risks, have caused the market to start the week on a strong note," said Toshitaka Tazawa, an analyst at Fujitomi Securities Co.
"With an expectation that Opec will keep the existing policy of gradual increase of production, oil prices will likely stay on a bullish sentiment this week," he said, predicting Brent to remain above $90 and WTI to head toward $90.
Major producers in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and allies led by Russia, collectively known as OPEC+, have raised their output target each month since August by 400,000 barrels per day as they unwind record production cuts made in 2020.
But they have failed to meet their production targets as some members have struggled with capacity constraints.
At its meeting on Wednesday, Opec+ is likely to stick with a planned rise in its oil output target for March, sources told Reuters.
Good year for north-east home sales
The north-east has enjoyed its best year for home sales for nearly a decade, according to one local expert.
And Alan Cumming, national estate agency director at law firm Aberdein Considine, expects this improved performance in the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire property sector will continue throughout 2022.
He told The Press and Journal: "Last year was generally a great market across the whole area - perhaps surprisingly as the major battle against Covid-19 was still continuing. It was the busiest year since 2014.
"In particular, houses in excellent condition in the city and throughout the north-east were in big demand in 2021 - they were flying off the shelves as soon as they went up for sale.
There is definitely a continuing lack of decent-quality housing for sale in the area - this is my biggest concern for 2022."
Alarm over investments made under Future Fund
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has sunk millions of pounds of taxpayer funds into an online betting company and a luxury Caribbean firm selling holidays on private islands as controversy over investments made by the Government's £1.1billion start-ups scheme grows.
The Telegraph says taxpayer groups and gambling charities sounded the alarm over investments made under the Future Fund as criticism over "wasteful" Covid spending by the Chancellor mounts.
The scheme was designed to help innovative and fast-growing start-ups survive the pandemic, providing loans of up to £5million that could later be converted into shares. But details released by the British Business Bank revealed a number of controversial investments.