Profile
The Financial Times (FT) is a British daily newspaper published in print and digitally that focuses on business and economic content. The paper is headquartered in London and is owned by Nikkei Inc., a Japanese holding company. The print version is available from Monday to Saturday worldwide and is recognized as one of the leading newspapers in England.
The newspaper was initially established in 1888 as the London Financial Guide, but it was rebranded as the Financial Times a month later by its founders, James Sheridan and his brother. Over the years, it competed with four other finance-oriented papers, notably the Financial News. In 1945, the Financial Times and the Financial News merged, creating one of the largest business newspapers globally. As a result, the newspaper’s circulation expanded significantly, leading to a global presence, including cities in Europe, Asia, and North America, with the launch of various international versions.
In 1957, Pearson plc became the primary shareholder of the Financial Times, and in 2015, the publication was sold to Nikkei Inc. for £844m. As of 2023, the Financial Times reportedly had about 1.3 million subscribers, of which approximately 1.2 million were digital subscribers.
The FT’s parent company, the Financial Times Group, also previously owned a 50% stake in The Economist, which it sold to the Agnelli family for £469m in 2015. Additionally, the FT publishes a Saturday edition titled The Financial Times Weekend and a weekly magazine called How to Spend It (HTSI), which focuses on luxury goods, fashion, arts, gardening, food, and the hotel and travel industries. How to Spend It originated in 1967 as a one-page feature in the newspaper.
Furthermore, the FT Group includes a unit called FT Specialist, which provides specialized information on retail, personal, and institutional finance. It publishes The Banker, Money Management, Financial Adviser (aimed at professional advisers), fDi Intelligence, and Professional Wealth Management (PWM).
