As the human and economic damage mounts, old political divides are likely to re-emerge

Activist investor sought to take control of strategy at French group led by Arnaud Lagardère

Union Investment says new outside executives are needed to move the company on after special audit

Deka Investment urges chairman to act quickly to end crisis of confidence in payments group after special audit

Combination of O2 and Virgin Media set to transform British telecoms market

O2 and Virgin Media’s £31bn merger is one of the biggest examples of virtual dealmaking during pandemic

If Berlin agrees a €9bn bailout for the airline, it is likely to want a 25 per cent stake and board seats

German regulator looks at group’s statements ahead of KPMG special audit report

Bundesbank told to halt participation unless central bank shows policy is ‘proportionate’

With no productive use of liquidity, money is going into market speculation driving recovery in asset prices

Companies are seeking to tap whatever sources of affordable funding are available

Glencore-backed First Cobalt to open Canada refinery this year in attempt to cut reliance on China

President’s pet project holds line on output growth despite oil crisis and mammoth losses

Two experts debate whether shift to low carbon can push forward amid economic stress

Promises of huge growth are yet to materialise — but there’s huge potential

An esoteric choice they may be for private investors, but if you’re selective they can add value

Cardholders will receive 3 per cent cashback on fuel

Santander private banking arm’s six-year savings product

Invest in a loan to a small business, but with a manager to assess the risk

1% cashback for mortgage customers with 123 account

Tickets website has to navigate an overhaul of UK rail’s supporting infrastructure

Lansdowne, Odey and Wadhwani among those betting on a revival of UK equities

Production costs to rise by 61% when industry invests in carbon capture

Competitive landscape is unclear as food delivery becomes a utility

Price in local currencies of commodities such as copper and coffee has surged

Ambitious plans for renewable energy rarely feature in government strategy

From coffee to copper, exporters enjoy higher profits

Activist investor has almost quadrupled his stake in battered US oil producer

This inaugural ranking of the region’s businesses by revenue growth rate reveals the dominance of the US and technology — the top-ranked company this year is an augmented reality and video game developer

Technology bolsters US dominance of the list, but coronavirus fallout looms large

SoftBank-funded fintech challenger Ualá expands rapidly amid the pandemic

Withdrawal fees soar to £104m and banks save £120m in ATM shake-up

As interest rates fall, more savings banks rely on the lure of cash prizes

Puny interest rates have dented the tax sheltering properties of cash Isas for most 

The number of US deaths attributed to Covid-19 surpassed 45,000 on Friday, while the rate of new cases remained flat

In today’s news: UK warns it would be ‘irresponsible’ to discuss easing lockdown. Spain sets out plan to lift its own tough measures. Donald Trump signals a halt to his daily media briefings as US death toll accelerates.

Deaths in England and Wales are highest on record in mid-April while cases in the US surpass 1m

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez says no other option remains but to maintain the state of alert

Thousands attend military parade in Belarus even as virus spreads rapidly in neighbouring Russia, UK airline industry warns of huge blow if travel quarantine is launched and Seoul closes down bars and clubs in wake of new cluster

Swiss company announces ‘challenging’ results a day after its chief executive quit

Concerns over climate change led the chemicals veteran to dramatically transform Syngenta

Pharma and chemicals group says it will ‘defend itself vigorously’ amid mounting cases

Concern over use of chemicals drives research into alternatives

New Novozymes chief will need fresher ideas to achieve success

Welcome to Due Diligence, the FT’s daily deals briefing

Rise in plaintiffs comes as German chemicals group reports 19% jump in sales

German chemicals group blames Brexit and trade tensions for earnings fall

Iodine producer rejects Brexiter’s coronavirus play as ‘probably not very educated’