Aug 22 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the New York Times business pages. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

- As start-ups across San Francisco and the Silicon Valley try to contend with high salaries and housing costs, many are expanding to lower-cost cities in the West, where they could grow quickly and make jobs more appealing. http://nyti.ms/2byXxKP

- As both U.S. presidential candidates campaign against Trans-Pacific Partnership, the White House is negotiating with Republicans in Congress to ratify the largest regional trade agreement ever. http://nyti.ms/2byXVca

- In the aftermath of the financial crisis, a growing army of confidential informants - better known as whistle-blowers - has helped federal securities regulators identify and prosecute wrongdoers. http://nyti.ms/2byZVRF

- 'Ben-Hur', the film, which cost about $100 million to make, arrived to a disastrous $11.4 million in domestic ticket sales and is the latest flop for Viacom's Paramount. http://nyti.ms/2bz05Zf (Compiled by Vishal Sridhar in Bengaluru)