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
Pro-Russia ex-president on course to win Bulgaria’s elections
Rumen Radev’s anti-Europe stance makes a stable coalition unlikely, say analysts
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
US navy seizes Iranian ship after it breaches blockade, says Trump
Action comes hours after president said he was sending officials to Pakistan for fresh peace talks with Tehran
Is London ready for the Green Party?
Zack Polanski’s leftwing populists are aiming to eat into Labour’s heartlands
Iran focus of probe into London arson attacks, counterterror police say
Officers threaten to use anti-espionage National Security Act against anyone involved in the incidents
School geography class. Film: India, where coal is king
Energy security
The US and Europe are still stronger together
Despite Trump and the war with Iran, Brussels’ interests remain deeply entwined with Washington’s
Will Turkey be forced to reverse course on rate cuts?
Market Questions is the FT’s guide to the week ahead
The stock market’s new approach to valuation
It is demonstrating an Earnings Before Iran, Tariffs and Dubious Announcements (ebitda) mentality
Ex-Foreign Office head takes legal advice over Mandelson vetting dismissal
Friends say Olly Robbins feels aggrieved about being fired and will give full account when he appears before MPs on Tuesday
Walmart challenges Amazon on same-day delivery by using stores as warehouses
Retailer tests holding third-party merchandise in Supercenter back rooms to boost its online marketplace
Lessons from the China shock 2.0
The response should be better industrial strategies, not knee-jerk protectionism
US investors boost defence exposure as global wars fuel spending boom
Trend reverses prior hesitance over arms investments because of slow growth and perceived conflict with ESG standards
Wealth advisers made more than $2bn from private capital fees
FT analysis of 16 funds shows extent of fees paid to banks and brokerages
Germany’s far right at odds over conscription
Rift within AfD deepens as anti-Nato wing appears to prevail ahead of September vote in eastern states
Brussels pushes remote working to ease energy crisis
European Commission also recommends heat pumps and public transport subsidies
Of course Trump thinks he’s the Messiah — his disciples tell him so
The ‘devout’ Christians in the US president’s life are really just fawning sycophants
Surge in HMRC probes over unpaid VAT by large companies
Increase comes as government agency steps up efforts to close ‘tax gap’
The NHS’s deal with Palantir could be good for its financial health
Medical data sits in different software systems — connecting the dots should save time, beds and money
The annoyance economy isn’t going anywhere
We must find our own amusements in dealing with spam, robocalls and chatbots
Veolia chief driven ‘nuts’ by UK water utilities’ failure to use AI to detect leaks
England’s water companies are lagging behind other more water-stressed nations, says Estelle Brachlianoff