Oct 23 (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

Britain is facing an investment crisis as factories cut back spending plans amid mounting political uncertainty over Brexit, the country's leading manufacturing trade body has warned. http://bit.ly/2yJwEPk

Cash-strapped Britons are taking the inflation-driven squeeze on incomes in their stride as they grow more confident about their job prospects, according to a survey by Deloitte. http://bit.ly/2yKJvkA

The Guardian

Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson is to write to the competition watchdog urging it to refuse the Murdoch family's takeover of Sky Plc after it emerged that Fox News gave presenter Bill O'Reilly a new contract after paying $32m to settle a sexual harassment suit against him. http://bit.ly/2yJN36p

UK business leaders have united to urge David Davis to quickly establish a Brexit transition deal that mirrors existing arrangements or risk losing British jobs and investment. http://bit.ly/2yJKCRo

The Telegraph

U.S. President Donald Trump has an "absolute duty" to prepare for military intervention against North Korea in the face of the mounting nuclear threat posed by the regime, Boris Johnson will say at the annual Chatham House conference in London. http://bit.ly/2yIBiNK

The UK government has intervened in a row over wholesale charges for broadband, backing BT Group Plc's network subsidiary Openreach in its battle against cheaper prices. http://bit.ly/2yJt5Zz

Sky News

InterContinental Exchange Inc, owner of the New York Stock Exchange, is in advanced talks to buy Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc's 4 percent shareholding in Euroclear, giving it a say in the future of one of the world's most valuable financial markets settlement platforms. http://bit.ly/2yJbhhf

The Independent

A boom in new fintech innovations saw UK financial services firms register a record number of trade marks in 2016, according to research. Companies in the sector registered 4,228 trade marks last year, up from 3,141 in 2011, professional services firm, RPC, found. http://ind.pn/2yIZlvW

(Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom; editing by Diane Craft)