British business welcomes Scotland staying in UK

LONDON, Sept 19 (AFP):  Britain's business community breathed a sigh of relief on Friday after Scotland voted by a clear margin to remain in the United Kingdom.

Markets had fretted that independence would spark a flight of capital amid uncertainty over the future currency, oil revenues, EU membership and dividing up state debt in the event of a separation.

However, Scotland rejected independence in a referendum that left the centuries-old United Kingdom intact but paved the way for a major transfer of powers away from London.

Following the outcome, Britain's major banks and financial groups scrapped plans to move operations south of the border.

According to Treasury estimates, around 270,000 Scottish jobs are directly linked to trade with the rest of the UK.