Dec 18 (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
GOVERNMENT TO 'DRIBBLE OUT' 3 BILLION POUNDS OF LLOYDS SHARES IN LATEST SELL-OFF
The British government is pressing ahead with an innovative way of privatising more of Lloyds Banking Group, announcing plans to gradually trickle out an estimated 3 billion pounds ($4.67 billion) of Lloyds shares onto the market over the next six months. UK Financial Investments (UKFI), which owns the 25 percent taxpayer stake in Lloyds, said it had instructed Morgan Stanley to conduct the so-called "dribble-out" sale, officially called a trading plan. (http://thetim.es/13cHL03)
The Guardian
DIXONS CARPHONE CUTS 400 JOBS DESPITE 'BARNSTORMING' PERFORMANCE
Dixons Carphone Plc is cutting 400 jobs in the wake of the merger between Dixons Retail and Carphone Warehouse. As the retailer hailed a "barnstorming" performance at its UK and Irish stores in its maiden half-year results, it said 20 percent of the combined total of head office staff would be leaving. (http://bit.ly/1z3MpuW)
The Telegraph
BARCLAYS' 500 MiLLION POUNDS FOR FOREX SETTLEMENTS IS NOT ENOUGH, SAYS CHIEF ANTONY JENKINS
Barclays Plc's chief executive has admitted that the 500 million pounds the bank has set aside to settle allegations of foreign exchange manipulation will not be enough. (http://bit.ly/16u9KKq)
BT PLANS 2 BILLION POUNDS RIGHTS ISSUE TO FUND EE TAKEOVER
BT Group Plc is preparing a giant financing package including a 2 billion pounds rights issue to help fund its planned takeover of EE, the mobile operator. The share placing will help to keep the telecom giant's level of debt at a manageable level as it faces big bills next year from an anticipated increase in pension fund top-up payments and a jump in Premier League rights costs. (http://bit.ly/1wMkhZS)
Sky News WELLCOME TRUST WARNS ON 'POPULIST' MANSION TAX One of Britain's most successful investors has issued a thinly veiled swipe at Labour's proposed mansion tax and warned that "populist politics" risk derailing Britain's economic revival. (http://bit.ly/1zvjhMe) MYNERS: GOVERNMENT ASSET SALES NEED OVERHAUL Taxpayers lost out on a lower sum from the privatisation of Royal Mail Plc than the 1 billion pounds suggested by MPs earlier this year, a report commissioned by Vince Cable will conclude this week. (http://bit.ly/1zvhQxc)
($1 = 0.6421 pounds) (Compiled by Rama Venkat Raman in Bengaluru)