PRESS DIGEST-British Business - April 9

April 9 (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

- Barclays BARC.L is scrapping its diversity and inclusivity targets across the United States, the bank said on Tuesday.

- Britain's financial watchdog said on Tuesday it was investigating BDO LLP's audit of Home REIT's HOMEH.L statements for the financial year that ended in August 2021.

The Guardian

- British Chancellor Rachel Reeves has declined to back calls for the government to launch a "buy British" campaign in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs, saying it would make Britain too "inward-looking".

- Bourbon and wine have been removed from a draft list of U.S. goods that will be subject to The European Union (EU) retaliatory tariffs in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's duties on steel and aluminium announced last month.

The Telegraph

- Italy's state railway company Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) plans to launch a high-speed service connecting London and Paris by 2029, it said on Tuesday, in the latest challenge to Eurostar's monopoly of train services through the Channel Tunnel.

- German military hardware manufacturer, RX Robotics, is building a new facility in south west England that will develop unmanned armoured vehicles that can be used on the battlefield.

Sky News

- British Chancellor Rachel Reeves will hold talks with bosses from companies including Hargreaves Lansdown HRGV.L, Legal & General LGEN.L, Lloyds Banking Group LLOY.L and M&G MNG.L on Wednesday to discuss the economic fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policy.

- A former boss of the Office of Fair Trading, John Fingleton, is to spearhead a review aimed at incentivising investment into Britain's nuclear energy industry.