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. It was founded in 1843 by Scotsman James Wilson as a voice against grain import tariffs. The publication maintains the position that free markets provide the best method of running economies and governments. Articles are published without bylines (there is also no masthead), thereby presenting a unified face to the publication's audience. Circulation is about 725,000, with North America accounting for about half of total readership.