April 13 - 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
TRAVELODGE'S OWNERS TO CHECK OUT FOR 1 BILLION POUNDS
Travelodge is lined up for a sale that could value the budget hotel chain at more than 1 billion pounds ($1.46 billion) only three years after its rescue from the brink of collapse. Its owners - Goldman Sachs, Avenue Capital and GoldenTree Asset Management - are understood to be preparing to appoint advisers to weigh up strategic options, including a flotation, on the back of soaring profits and a surge of interest in the hotel sector.(http://thetim.es/1OqmbaK)
MARK CARNEY 'NOT ABUSING NON-DOM STATUS'
The Bank of England has defended the non-dom status of Mark Carney, insisting that the governor has not structured his affairs to get around tax.(http://thetim.es/1OqnV3U)
The Guardian
BRITISH HOLIDAYMAKERS LOSE MILLIONS IN INTERNET SCAMS, SAYS REPORT
Fraudsters conned British holidaymakers out of 2.2 million pounds ($3.22 million) last year through a series of Internet-based scams, a report shows today.(http://bit.ly/1Oqoc70)
UK FIRMS' HIRING INTENTIONS 'SKY HIGH' BUT CONCERNS PERSIST OVER PRODUCTIVITY
Employers' hiring intentions are at a "sky high" level and stronger than in the pre-recession boom, but concerns remain about the UK's failure to grow productivity, according to a new report by accountants and business advisers BDO.(http://bit.ly/1OqooDf)
The Telegraph
ED MILIBAND'S DIRECT APPEAL TO SCEPTICAL VOTERS: 'TRUST ME ON THE ECONOMY'
Ed Miliband will today ask sceptical voters to trust him on the economy by putting a pledge to cut the deficit year on year on the first page of Labour's general election manifesto.(http://bit.ly/1Oqpajs)
Sky News
BUYOUT FIRM FLOWERS EYES BID FOR GENWORTH ARM
Genworth Financial, a troubled U.S. insurance company, is in talks with one of the financial services industry's most prolific investors, JC Flowers, about the sale of a business that includes a range of products sold to UK customers.(http://bit.ly/1z8E4lv)
CONSERVATIVES PROMISE TO CUT INHERITANCE TAX
The Conservatives have said they will take family homes out of inheritance tax by introducing a new allowance which effectively increases the threshold for tax to 1 million pounds.(http://bit.ly/1OqoE5f)
The Independent
OPEN-MINDED SHOPPERS WILLING TO TRY NEW PRODUCTS LEADING TO A BOOM IN ETHICAL SPENDING, SAYS REPORT
Shoppers who are happy to be the first to try out new products are driving a boom in ethical spending, from electric cars to DIY energy generation, according to Ethical Consumer magazine's annual report.(http://ind.pn/1OqoQRT)