The Economist, weekly magazine of news and opinion published in London and generally regarded as one of the world’s preeminent journals of its kind. It provides wide-ranging coverage of general news and particularly of international and political developments and prospects bearing on the world’s economy. The publication is known for its social-libertarian slant and maintains that free markets provide the best method of running economies and governments. All articles except special reports are published without bylines (there is also no masthead), thereby presenting to readers a unified face.