PRESS DIGEST- British Business - March 8

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

Temporary wage subsidies to stop companies laying off staff in a recession are an effective tool against joblessness, Bank of England researchers have said in analysis that might feed into the policy response to a no-deal Brexit. http://bit.ly/2NMWfwf The Financial Conduct Authority has fired a warning shot at Non-Standard Finance Plc, the doorstep lender, over its plans to shake up Provident Financial Plc if it succeeds with its 1.3 billion pounds ($1.70 billion) hostile bid. http://bit.ly/2NMWkQz

The Guardian Sports Direct International Plc boss, Mike Ashley, is attempting a coup at Debenhams Plc to appoint himself to the board in an executive role and oust nearly all the other directors. http://bit.ly/2NO3mov

Associated British Foods Plc's budget fashion chain Primark has told 220 of its staff in the United Kingdom that they must agree to move to Ireland or risk being made redundant. http://bit.ly/2NO3qVh The Telegraph

More than half of the UK's 161 international agreements with non-EU countries - covering everything from aviation to trade - are still in jeopardy with less than a month to go until Brexit. http://bit.ly/2NOOAgU The Serious Fraud Office has been dealt another blow after a judge accused its investigators of failing to secure key evidence for a landmark trial of four former Barclays Plc bankers. http://bit.ly/2NLpTlN

Sky News The European Central Bank says it will offer more cheap loans to banks in a bid to boost lending in a slowing eurozone economy - but only from September. http://bit.ly/2NLND9r

UK's largest insurer Aviva Plc has warned of "more muted" growth this year as it faces Brexit uncertainty. It said it would be "difficult to sustain" the level of earnings growth seen over the last two years. http://bit.ly/2NRhXQ4 The Independent

Fashion retailer LK Bennett has collapsed into administration putting close to 500 jobs at risk. https://ind.pn/2NRi3XW UK house prices were up sharply at the beginning of this year due to a lack of properties on the market, according to the latest Halifax House Price Index. https://ind.pn/2NLNR0h

($1 = 0.7642 pounds) (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

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