Dec 15 (Reuters) – 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

– Markets shook off a warning from the Bank of England that it does not intend to cut interest rates soon, with investors forecasting that UK borrowing costs will drop to 4% by the end of next year.

– The two Thames Water executives, Cathryn Ross and Alastair Cochran who have been running the troubled privatised monopoly for the past six months, have been asked to give way to a former head of British Gas, Chris Weston.

The Guardian

– New direct high-speed train routes from London to Cologne, Frankfurt, Geneva and Zurich could be up and running within five years, according to the Eurotunnel owner, Getlink, after work to double the capacity of UK rail links to Europe.

– The Bank of England has said Britain is facing a tougher job to crush persistently high inflation than other advanced nations, as it kept interest rates on hold at the highest level since the 2008 financial crisis.

The Telegraph

– The billionaire owners of Asda, Mohsin and Zuber Issa have denied setting up companies in Jersey for tax purposes amid an ongoing inquiry into their sprawling business empire.

Sky News

– UK media regulator Ofcom, has launched an investigation into TikTok, as well as fellow online video platforms Twitch and Snapchat over whether it provided inaccurate information about its parental controls.

– The Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho has cancelled a contentious trial of hydrogen for home heating in the Yorkshire coastal town of Redcar following growing opposition from residents there.

The Independent

– UK prime minister Rishi Sunak stressed that UK remains committed to a two-state solution after ambassador Tzipi Hotovely said Tel Aviv does not support an independent country for Palestinians.

– UK finance minister Jeremy Hunt’s tax-cutting autumn statement will add just 0.25 per cent to the size of the economy in the coming years, the Bank of England has warned.

(Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)