Oct 30 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Financial Times. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

Headlines

- EU to probe sale of Anglo's nickel business to China-backed MMG

- Porsche-Piëch family explores investing in 6 billion euros VW diesel engine unit

- Keir Starmer refuses to stand by manifesto tax pledge

- Rachel Reeves looks at early scrapping of windfall tax on UK oil and gas sector

Overview

- The European Commission is preparing to launch an in-depth investigation into the $500 million sale of Anglo American's AAL.L nickel business to China-backed MMG 1208.HK.

- The billionaire family that controls Volkswagen is exploring a deal to invest in the automaker's planned 6 billion euros ($7.00 billion) carve-out of its diesel engine division as private equity firms circle ahead of an upcoming sales process.

- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has refused to stand by Labour's manifesto pledge not to raise income tax, employee national insurance or value added tax, as he warned the backdrop to next month's Budget was tougher than expected.

- British finance Minister Rachel Reeves could scrap a windfall profits levy on the UK oil and gas industry sooner than expected, after Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he wanted to "double down" on North Sea extraction.

($1 = 0.8575 euros)

(Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)

((globalnewsmonitoring@thomsonreuters.com))