The Economist

The Economist is a British weekly newspaper founded in 1843 in London, owned by the Economist Group, in which the Agnelli family holds a significant stake alongside staff and independent shareholders. It publishes in print and digital editions with a combined global readership of around 7 million, making it one of the most widely read English-language journals of politics and economics worldwide. All articles are published anonymously, a long-standing editorial policy intended to make the institution rather than individual writers the voice of the publication.

The Economist's editorial stance is classically liberal in the European tradition: it favours free markets, free trade, open immigration, and liberal democracy, and it consistently supports evidence-based policy over ideological prescription. It covers global politics, business, Science, and culture with a breadth that most rivals do not match at comparable depth. Its annual polling collaboration with YouGov produces widely cited surveys on political approval and public opinion; the YouGov/Economist tracker is regularly referenced in US political analysis, including during the 2026 midterm cycle when it found 35% approval for Trump's economic management.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a sister organisation, produces country risk ratings, economic forecasts, and geopolitical scenario analysis used by governments, central banks, and corporations worldwide. The parent brand and the EIU together give The Economist unusual cross-over authority between journalism and institutional analysis, with their assessments cited by policymakers and media alike.