ECB frontrunner Hernández de Cos is most qualified candidate for top job, economists say
Former Spanish central bank chief ranks first in poll of monetary policy experts in ‘tight race’ for Lagarde succession
US navy seizes Iranian ship after it breaches blockade
Oil price jumps as Washington and Tehran give conflicting accounts of whether new peace talks are set to begin
China does have one powerful lever to boost consumption
A permanent cut in the payroll tax could benefit workers and the world
Letter: Do not overlook the external forces driving Sudan’s conflict
From Babikir Elsiddig M Elamin, Ambassador and Head of Mission, Embassy of Sudan, London
Letter: Pilgrims discover love at first bite in Lough Derg
From John Doherty, Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland
Letter: MacArthur and Jobs were not small beer in Tokyo
From Dustin Wright, Historian and Chair, Department of World Languages and Cultures, California State University, Monterey Bay, CA, US
Letter: Companies need experts, not watch-borrowers
From John Tippler, Spalding, Lincolnshire, UK
Letter: A harsher view of economic ‘resilience’
From Natalie Bennett, Green Peer, House of Lords, London SW1, UK
Letter: Chatbots, power and a modern-day Castle
From Sebastian Woller, Bern, Switzerland
Letter: Britain must electrify to reduce bills for good
From Greg Jackson, and others
Letter: When vinyl becomes the best subscription model
From Mark Toon, Totnes, Devon, UK
Correction: Waymo’s marker share
Waymo’s market share is around 12 per cent across the US cities and regions where it has services, not 7 per cent as wrongly stated in an article on April 17
School IB business management class: SpaceX boosts IPO ambition with plans to raise $75bn
Sources of finance
Foreign carmakers turn to Chinese technology to remain relevant
Western executives hope ‘in China for China’ strategy will halt sales decline in world’s largest car market
Property asking prices rise in April despite higher UK mortgage rates
Increase indicates resilience in housing market even as Iran war led to surge in energy costs
FT Crossword: Number 18,350
FirstFT: US navy seizes Iranian ship that defied blockade, says Trump
Also in today’s newsletter: pro-Russia ex-president on course to win Bulgaria’s elections, and Brussels pushes remote working to ease energy crisis
Pro-Russia ex-president claims victory in Bulgaria’s elections
Rumen Radev’s projected majority could turn the EU member state’s parliament away from the West
Starmer battles for Downing Street future amid Mandelson vetting scandal
Prime minister’s statement to MPs will come ahead of testimony from sacked Foreign Office head Olly Robbins
Business school professors’ picks
Topical FT articles and suggested classroom questions
QXO to buy insulation company TopBuild in $17bn deal
Billionaire investor Brad Jacobs is seeking to create the dominant company in the US building products sector
Starmer set for tough week of questions on Mandelson scandal
Plus, Middle East ceasefire deadlines, Trump attends press dinner and Fed nominee Kevin Warsh faces Senate committee
Impact of Iran war will hurt US even after conflict ends, economists warn
Wave of inflation will persist as higher fuel prices feed through into businesses
Is London ready for the Green Party?
Zack Polanski’s leftwing populists are aiming to eat into Labour’s heartlands