France signals support for Spain’s ECB presidential candidate de Cos, FT reports

Nov 12 (Reuters) - France has signaled it may support Spain's nominee Pablo Hernandez de Cos to succeed Christine Lagarde as European Central Bank president next year, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, citing four people with knowledge of the matter. 

Reuters could not immediately verify the report.

Euro zone leaders are set to pick a replacement for ECB President Christine Lagarde — who said last month she will step down on February 7 — and two other key board members, Isabel Schnabel, who heads market operations, and Chief Economist Philip Lane, in the coming months. 

Only two candidates for the top job have been put forward. Spain nominated Pablo Hernandez de Cos, the General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements, and the Netherlands nominated Klaas Knot, its former central bank chief.

(Reporting by Rhea Rose Abraham in Bengaluru; Editing by Christopher Cushing)