PRESS DIGEST- Financial Times - Dec 16

- British ministers will consult on planning reforms that would free up pockets of brownfield land in cities in England to allow the building of hundreds of thousands of homes and prop up struggling small builders. - Passengers passing through British airports will be able to ditch their "tiny toiletries" and leave liquids and electronics inside their cabin bags under changes to security rules to be introduced over the next two years.

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

- Bank of England raises interest rates to 3.5% - Rio Tinto reluctantly hunts for deals as mining industry consolidates

- Ministers consider planning shake-up to boost affordable housing - UK airports to scrap restrictions on liquids and electronics

Overview - The Bank of England raised its key interest rate by a further half-percentage point on Thursday and indicated more hikes were likely, but investors bet that the central bank might be getting close to the end of its increases in borrowing costs.

- Rio Tinto is looking for opportunities to acquire critical mineral assets such as lithium and nickel, despite admitting it remains "reluctant" to pursue non-organic expansion. - British ministers will consult on planning reforms that would free up pockets of brownfield land in cities in England to allow the building of hundreds of thousands of homes and prop up struggling small builders.

- Passengers passing through British airports will be able to ditch their "tiny toiletries" and leave liquids and electronics inside their cabin bags under changes to security rules to be introduced over the next two years. (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)