Hopes of saving British Steel rise, Boots could close up to 200 stores, and more top news

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Multiple parties have been given access to the accounts of British Steel, as government officials say they are making “good progress” in finding a potential buyer for Britain’s second-largest steelmaker. British Steel was placed in compulsory liquidation  last week after rescue talks broke down, risking 5,000 jobs, most of them at the Scunthorpe steelworks. The government is presently covering the firm's wage bill. The Official Receiver said it had made contact with more than 80 potential purchasers, 60 of whom have been sent non-disclosure agreements. ? Here’s what people are saying.

More than 200 Boots outlets could be shuttered under new plans by the firm's American owners, according to Sky News. Sources close to Wallgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) said a "significant number" of stores are likely to close, although no decision had yet been made on which ones. The news comes after retail tycoon Sir Philip Green confirmed that dozens of his Miss Selfridge shops would be closed. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Also.. WHSmith has been named the UK’s worst high street retailer for the second year in a row in a survey by Which? readers. ? Here’s what people are saying.

London has been overtaken by New York as the number one financial centre because of the uncertainty over Brexit, according to poll of finance executives. The survey, which encompassed 180 professionals in asset management, private equity, banking, hedge funds and brokerage found that only 36% considered London the world's best financial hub, down 17 percentage points from 2018. New York received 52%, up by 10 percentage points. It also revealed that Luxembourg, Frankfurt and Dublin were rising as London faltered. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Bank customers who transfer money to fraudsters could be in line for refunds under new industry guidelines. Nearly 85,000 Brits fell victim to authorised push payment (APP) scams last year, costing the UK ￡354.3m. NatWest is the most complained about bank when it comes to handling fraud claims, the BBC reports. The Financial Ombudsman experienced a 62% rise in complaints about the lender last year, matched by an uptick in complaints to BBC Watchdog Live. The high street bank said it was "working harder than ever" to keep customers safe. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Is branding to blame for the collapse of Jamie Oliver’s restaurant chain? The chairman of pub chain JD Wetherspoon Tim Martin has criticised the casual dining sector for being seduced by “the drug of branding”. Martin told Sky News: "A lot of these guys thought they were so groovy that the brand would do the work for them." Jamie Oliver said he was “devastated” after his restaurant chain collapsed into administration with 1,000 jobs lost. Meanwhile, rival Gordon Ramsay is back in the black, reporting a pre-tax profit of ￡0.5m. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Idea of the day: Effective communication depends just as much on listening as it does on what you say, says Procter & Gamble Chairman David Taylor.

“We can all judge how well we’re doing as communicators by asking ourselves: ‘Am I listening? Or am I waiting to speak?’”

What's your take on today’s stories? Share your thoughts in the comments.

—  Natalie MacDonald