The Economist is a very dense periodical with its own style and quirks. It's difficult to get through an issue. What I appreciate is that while it has its own political philosophy and bent, it examines more than one side of each issue and really analyzes topics before coming to a conclusion. The newspaper's supplementary blogs and podcasts are also quite good.

The Economist is truly news for educated people. I enjoy their insightful and balanced articles whenever I happen to pick it up, and I'm amazed how many movers and shakers cite this magazine as one of their favorite resources. The topics it covers are not 100% applicable to my life - one of my only criticisms of it - because it deals with issues which span the globe and largely focus on politics. With limited time to consume the vast amounts of information every day, it doesn't often make my list of items which can directly impact me, but when I do have the time to peruse such subjects (such as while on a plane flight) the Economist delivers.

This is a very essential magazine for business people especially for finance and marketing professionals. It provides relevant updates across all business verticals, which can affect your business planning.