Happy hump day! Keira here in Sydney. Here’s everything you need to know to start your morning...

Today’s must-reads:
• Economy live Q&A
• Woodside US investment
• Housing affordability

What's happening now

The economy is at the forefront of many voters' concerns as they prepare to head to the polls this Saturday, with a housing crisis, high interest rates and cost of living pressures all on the agenda.

In a Live Q&A, Bloomberg’s Haidi Stroud-Watts, Michael Heath and Bloomberg Economist James McIntyre will discuss these topics and more at 2p.m. AEST today. Bloomberg digital subscribers and Terminal clients have the exclusive opportunity to ask our team live questions.

Housing is also a top concern in Australia's federal election, writes Bloomberg Opinion’s Andreea Papuc. Meanwhile, in the last of our bonus election podcasts, Chris Bourke and Grattan Institute’s Brendan Coates discuss how the main parties are promising to fix the seemingly intractable housing affordability problem if elected on May 3.

Woodside Energy made a final investment decision on a $17.5 billion liquefied natural gas export project in the US, cementing the Australian company’s position as a top supplier of the super-chilled fuel.

Global foreign exchange markets recorded a “sharp rise” in volatility earlier this month as traders worked through the potential impact of US tariff announcements.

S&P Global Ratings warns that Australia's AAA sovereign credit rating may be at risk from election campaign pledges. Click on the image to watch. Bloomberg

New Zealand’s filled jobs rose only slightly in the first three months, reinforcing signs the labor market will take time to mend as concerns about growth at home and abroad leave employers reluctant to hire.

What happened overnight

Here’s what my colleague market strategist Mike “Willo” Wilson says happened while we were sleeping…

A gauge of the dollar ended higher versus all G-10 currencies after reports that the Trump administration will lessen the impacts of auto tariffs. Stocks also closed up despite weak US consumer confidence and job openings dropping to the lowest since September amid tariff angst. Aussie and kiwi dollars erased the week’s gains ahead of Australian 1Q inflation and NZ consumer confidence data today. There's risk that tariff concerns probably showing up in the latter, will be enough to weigh on the NZD. 

Investors looked past weak consumer confidence and labor data to send the S&P 500 up 0.6%. The gauge notched its best six-day run since March 2022, rising about 8% in the span. The Nasdaq 100 is close to erasing all of its losses since April 2, when President Donald Trump announced his trade offensive.

Chinese diplomats are calling on other countries to stand with it against the US, while also warning regional rivals against striking deals that could harm its interests.

Pakistan’s army has shot down an Indian spy drone along their disputed border in the Kashmir region, as tensions rise over last week’s militant attacks that killed 26 people. 

President Vladimir Putin is insisting that Russia must take control of four regions of Ukraine it doesn’t fully occupy as part of any agreement to end his war, according to three people in Moscow familiar with the matter.

Squabbles between Spain’s minority government and opposition parties are muddling efforts to find out and explain what caused a massive blackout that left Spain, Portugal and parts of France in the dark on Monday.

What to watch

• First quarter inflation data, 11:30 a.m. in Sydney
• March private sector credit, 11:30 a.m.

One more thing...

Former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is putting together an investment group to bid for a piece of the National Football League team, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The Giants announced in February that they are exploring the sale of a non-controlling stake, with up to 10% of the team available for purchase.

Eli Manning, former National Football League quarterback. Photographer: Amir Hamja/Bloomberg