PRESS DIGEST- Financial Times - Feb 28

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

- Thames Water lobbies for higher bills, dividend payouts and lower fines - Jeremy Hunt struggles to find Budget goodies as he faces fiscal 'headlock'

- Currys rejects higher takeover bid from Elliott - Shein considers London listing if US IPO blocked over ties to China

Overview - Thames Water is lobbying the government and industry regulator Ofwat to let it increase bills, pay dividends and face lower fines as it seeks to avoid a potential multi-billion-pound taxpayer bailout.

- Britain's chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, is struggling to escape a fiscal "headlock" imposed by his official forecasters as he tries to find space for tax cuts and lift pre-Budget gloom among Conservative MPs. - UK electronics retailer Currys has rejected an improved bid from US investment group Elliott Management, saying that the offer continued to "significantly undervalue the company and its future prospects".

- Singapore-headquartered Shein is considering London as an alternative destination if US regulators block the online fast-fashion group's preferred choice of a New York IPO over its ties to China.