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Matt Levin

Senior Reporter

SHORT BIO

Matt covers AI for Marketplace, where he tries to be as polite as he can to every chatbot he meets … because, well, he’s seen sci-fi movies. Matt also covers some crypto and housing, with a taste for stories that make you say: "huh, that's kinda weird.”

Before joining Marketplace Matt was a data and housing reporter for CalMatters, focused on California politics and policy. Before that he was a statistics jockey for a think tank, focused on poverty and inequality. And long before that Matt was a really terrible teenage cashier for Toys R Us.

Matt’s previous honors include awards from the Online News Association and regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and SPJ awards.

Latest Stories (338)

Homebuilders remain confident despite uncertainty

by Matt Levin
Nov 19, 2024
The National Association of Homebuilders reported its third straight month of improvement in its homebuilder confidence index, even though permits for new housing construction were down nearly 8% year over year.
Homebuilder Justin Wood has saved money on loans when the Fed cut interest rates. But he's also had to spend on incentives for clients wary of rising mortgage rates.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
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How economic inequality has and hasn't changed since the pandemic

by Matt Levin
Nov 18, 2024
From 2019 to 2022, total U.S. household wealth grew 25%., but there's lots of evidence that Americans are disenchanted with this economy.
Post-pandemic wealth inequality hasn't been what Wall Street expected.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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For online retail, the holidays are coming earlier and earlier

by Matt Levin
Nov 15, 2024
Web retail requires no mall Santas or displays, and shoppers easily compare prices online, so the messaging starts around Oct. 1, experts say.
kerkez/Getty Images
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Why are Americans splurging on live music?

by Matt Levin
Nov 12, 2024
Concert promoter Live Nation told investors it had its most active summer season ever, with profits from its concert division up 39% year over year.
Live music is a bigger part of our lives, and Americans "are now in a different mindset of prioritizing our spending," says Serona Elton of the University of Miami. Above, Bad Bunny performs in Atlanta.
Paras Griffin/Getty Images
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One more byproduct of hybrid work: The rideshare commute

by Matt Levin
Nov 7, 2024
Lyft says that nearly half of the company's weekday rides were commutes to or from work.
Scott Olson/Getty Images
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Election 2024

How Trump's plan to deport more immigrants could affect the economy

by Matt Levin
Nov 6, 2024
Mass deportations could impact everything from growth to wages to inflation.
Trump's deportation plan could have major ramifications for the U.S. economy.
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Lessons from the Big Tech breakup that never happened

by Matt Levin
Nov 1, 2024
Google is facing a federal antitrust challenge. Microsoft endured similar scrutiny and came out in one piece.
Attorney General Merrick Garland discusses the Department of Justice's antitrust allegations against Google in January 2023, with his remarks shown on screen.
Getty Images
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How to cure office loneliness

by Matt Levin
Oct 22, 2024
A new study shows that remote work isn't the only issue. So how do companies get their employees to socialize without it feeling like forced fun?
Remote workers are more likely to report feelings of isolation than their in-office peers.
Leon Neal/Getty Images
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Demand for crispy french fries has gotten a tad soggy

by Matt Levin
Oct 21, 2024
Lamb Weston, the Idaho-based maker of frozen potato products, has been struggling as of late.
The Idaho-based supplier of McDonald's french fries saw its stock price drop more than 30% at one point this year.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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Why drugstores could be on the list of troubled business models

by Matt Levin
Oct 15, 2024
Walgreens will close 1,200 stores over the next three years. Rite Aid filed for bankruptcy last year, and CVS is closing hundreds of stores.
When was the last time you went into a drugstore and thought, "This place is AWESOME! I want to spend MORE time here!"
Scott Olson/Getty Images
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