Jan 5 (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
- Mike Ashley, the largest shareholder in Debenhams Plc , suffered a "paper loss" of more than 13 million pounds ($17.62 million) on his stake in the department store chain after it issued a steep and unscheduled profit warning. - Britain's Whitbread Plc , owner of Costa Coffee and Premier Inn, on Thursday appointed Adam Crozier as chairman. The Guardian
- Aldi Inc is increasing minimum hourly rate of pay for store assistants to 8.85 pounds nationally, a 3.75 percent rise, and to 10.20 pounds in London, a 4.6 percent boost, from February 1. - Waitrose has become the first UK supermarket to ban sales of so-called energy drinks to under-16s, amid concerns about high levels of sugar and caffeine and their impact on children's health and behaviour. The Telegraph
- Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) revealed that average CO2 emissions from cars in Britain sold last year were higher than in 2016, reversing a near 20-year decline. - Unilever Plc, the owner of Colman's Mustard, has confirmed it is to close its operations in Norwich with the loss of around 68 jobs following a review of its manufacturing site. Sky News
- The owner of the MusicMagpie website, which helps consumers trade in unwanted games consoles and mobile phones, is planning an IPO onto the London stock market. - Britain's economy appeared to have picked up speed at the end of last year as the IHS Markit/CIPS services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), taken together with data from other sectors, suggested GDP growth of up to 0.5% in the fourth quarter, compared with 0.4% in the July-September period. The Independent
- Philip Morris International Inc , which makes Marlboros and a host of other cigarette brands, placed full-page adverts in UK national newspapers this week promoting its "ambition to stop selling cigarettes in the UK". - Ticketmaster has been banned from claiming its platinum seats have the "best available" tickets, after three complaints said it was misleading. ($1 = 0.7380 pounds)
(Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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