There were two very different transatlantic interactions on the Scottish business scene, writes Ian McConnell.

Good news on US flights from Scotland ensured an upbeat start. However, in a different sector, a major Scottish company declared it had reached the "end of the road" with a US hedge fund's "obsession".

Last week started on an upbeat note. And it was a somewhat unexpected moment.

Edinburgh Airport chief executive Gordon Dewar treated passengers boarding the first of American Airlines’ new flights from the Scottish capital to the Big Apple last Monday to a rendition of the “New York, New York” number made famous by Frank Sinatra. As I noted in The Herald last week, it was “impressively tuneful”.

And there seemed much to celebrate in what American Airlines had to say about Scotland.

Demoralisingly, in a completely different sector, there was much to lament on the outcome of a transatlantic interaction.

Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust (EWIT) last Tuesday declared it has “reached the end of the road” with a US hedge fund’s “obsession”.

The investment trust, which had total assets of £857.29 million at January 31 and is run from Edinburgh by Baillie Gifford, announced its intention to put forward a proposal to implement a tender offer for up to 100% of its issued share capital.

It said this was to “provide eligible shareholders with the opportunity to receive a significant initial cash exit and also retain access to the potential future value from EWIT's largest shareholding, SpaceX”, a company founded........

© Herald Scotland