PRESS DIGEST-Financial Times – October 20

Oct 20 (Reuters) – The following are the top stories in the Financial Times. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. Headlines – Pension giants announce 3 billion pounds of investment in UK private markets – CKI calls for Thames Water renationalisation after 'high-risk' creditor plan – Minister hints at VAT cut on household energy bills – Betfred threatens to close all 1,300 UK high street shops if taxes rise Overview – Three pension giants, namely Legal & General, AustralianSuper, and state-backed National Employment Savings Trust (Nest), have made a fresh 3-billion-pound ($4.03 billion) wave of commitments to invest in rental homes, infrastructure and fast-growing companies, ahead of a British government-backed meeting in Birmingham. – Hong Kong investor CK Infrastructure, whose overture for Thames Water was spurned earlier this year, has called on Britain to renationalise the troubled utility. – British energy minister Ed Miliband has given the strongest hint yet that finance minister Rachel Reeves could cut VAT from household energy bills at next month's Budget, saying the government must take steps to tackle the cost of living crisis. – British gambling company Betfred has warned that all of its 1,300 shops could be forced to close if the UK government increases taxes on the industry in next month's Budget. ($1 = 0.7447 pounds) (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)

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