PRESS DIGEST-Financial Times - Oct 1

Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

The following are the top stories in the Financial Times. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. Headlines

- Virgin Money to close almost a fifth of its branches https://on.ft.com/3AZZAjp - Oxford Nanopore shares surge more than 40% in London IPO https://on.ft.com/39QRrls

- UK launches 500 mln pound support fund for vulnerable households over winter https://on.ft.com/3AT7zih - UK businesses warn of 'autumn storm' of shortages, costs and taxes https://on.ft.com/3uueFaL

Overview - Virgin Money UK PLC will close almost a fifth of its 162 branches as a part of its digital shift, in a bid to use radical change in consumer behaviour during COVID-19 to slash its footprint and minimize costs.

- Oxford Nanopore Technologies Ltd , the British genomics company which helped track the pandemic, saw a surge of more than 40% in its shares after its initial public offering in London. - The British government on Thursday announced a fund of 500 million pounds ($673.5 million) for poor households in UK for support over the winter as the furlough scheme ends.

- British business leaders have warned the UK ministers of an autumn of rise in taxes, surging costs, labour shortages and supply chain disruptions as government sponsored pandemic support schemes come to an end. (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)