March 8 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on
the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not
verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
The Times
-National Gas has tested running pure hydrogen through its
pipelines in a world first as it attempts to make the case for
the lower-carbon fuel as an alternative to natural gas.
- Aviva AV.L said it would return a further 300 million
pounds ($384.27 million) to stock market investors through
another share buyback.
The Guardian
- UK's Insolvency Service has begun legal action to have Lex
Greensill disqualified from running companies for up to 15 years
after the outcome of an investigation into the directors of his
failed finance firm Greensill Capital.
- Britain's green power industry has received a surprise
fillip after renewables developer NatPower pledged to plough 10
billion pounds into what would become the largest portfolio of
battery storage projects in the country.
The Telegraph
- Selfridges tycoon Rene Benko has filed for insolvency
following the implosion of his property empire Signa.
- Ladbrokes owner Entain ENT.L has warned of a potential
40 million pound hit to profits amid the Government's crackdown
on gambling.
Sky News
- Mike Ashley's Frasers Group FRAS.L is putting
Matchesfashion, the luxury online clothing platform, into
administration.
- Nationwide Building Society NBS.L has agreed terms for a
takeover of Virgin Money VMUK.L in a 2.9 billion pound deal
that would create a larger rival to the UK's major lenders.
The Independent
- British foreign minister David Cameron has urged Hamas to
accept the hostage deal as he reiterated a call for a "permanent
sustainable ceasefire".
($1 = 0.7807 pounds)
(Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)
((globalnewsmonitoring@thomsonreuters.com))