PRESS DIGEST-Financial Times - Nov 16

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

- Lloyds hires HSBC executive Chirantan Barua as CEO of insurance businesses - Sanjeev Gupta's Liberty Steel nears deal with creditors led by Credit Suisse

- UK council tax caps to be eased amid local authority funding crisis - Germany finishes construction of its first LNG import terminal

Overview - Lloyds Banking Group has appointed HSBC's global head of strategy Chirantan Barua as Chief Executive Officer of Scottish Widows and its wider insurance, pensions and investments business.

- Sanjeev Gupta's Liberty Steel has reached an agreement to restructure much of its debt for global operations while negotiations continue on the debt of its European business. - UK Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt will use the Autumn Statement on Thursday to give local authorities the right to raise council tax by a maximum of 4.99% from 2.99% before having to put the increase to a local referendum.

- Germany on Tuesday completed construction of its first import terminal for liquefied natural gas at the North Sea port of Wilhelmshaven, a crucial milestone in its efforts to end its energy dependency on Russia. (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)