PRESS DIGEST- British Business - March 18

March 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

Business investment growth will sink to its lowest level since the financial crisis this year as Brexit uncertainty continues, the British Chambers of Commerce warns. http://bit.ly/2Hs1sto

Plans to waive checks on goods crossing the Irish border under a no-deal Brexit would violate international law, according to the World Trade Organisation's former chief judge. http://bit.ly/2Hs2DsO

The Guardian

Interserve Plc, the troubled government contractor which collapsed last week, was handed a 660 million pounds ($877 million) worth of public contracts in the run-up to going into administration, the GMB union has claimed. http://bit.ly/2Hq9ZwT

Prime Minister Theresa May will embark on a final desperate scramble to win the Democratic Unionist party's backing for her Brexit deal on Monday, in the hope that it could unlock parliament's support at the third time of asking. http://bit.ly/2HsHmyP

The Telegraph

Germany's Deutsche Bank AG and Commerzbank AG have begun talks about a merger after getting approval about a tie-up from the Berlin government. http://bit.ly/2HrEPoG

Rail leaders will this week call for a new independent watchdog that will allow Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, to take a back seat from meddling with the country's ­beleaguered train network. http://bit.ly/2HorltO

Sky News

Goldman Sachs Group Inc and an investment firm backed by Comcast Corp, Atairos, are vying to buy Foundry, a British visual ‎effects producer whose credits include the Hollywood blockbusters Gravity and Interstellar. http://bit.ly/2Hqp69l

($1 = 0.7526 pounds) (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)