Editor’s picks: August 22nd 2019

<p>A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, our cover story on what <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2019/08/22/what-companies-are-for" target="_blank">companies are for </a>(12:20) Also, Matteo Salvini hopes elections will make him <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2019/08/22/matteo-salvini-hopes-elections-will-make-him-italys-prime-minister" target="_blank">Italy’s prime minister</a>. (18:40) And how <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2019/08/24/burgundy-wine-investors-have-beaten-the-stockmarket" target="_blank">Burgundy wine investors</a> have beaten the stock market</p> &#10;&nbsp;<br /><hr><p style='color: grey; font - size: 0.75em; '>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.</p>