Justin Ho

SHORT BIO

Justin is a reporter for Marketplace. He’s based in San Diego, California.

Justin focuses on small business, banking and supply chain news. He also hosts the Closing Bell edition of the “Marketplace Minute,” a daily news roundup, and has worked as the show producer of the “Marketplace Morning Report.” He started working at Marketplace in 2011.

Justin spends a lot of his downtime mountain biking, surf fishing and grappling with decision paralysis over which bike parts and fishing gear to buy next.

Episodes by Justin (167)

Marketplace Minute

Mercedes-Benz workers reject unionization

May 17, 2024

LISTEN

Marketplace Minute

Import prices pick up in April

May 16, 2024

LISTEN

Marketplace Minute

Core inflation cools to three-year low

May 15, 2024

LISTEN

Marketplace Minute

Producer prices rise in April

May 14, 2024

LISTEN

Marketplace Minute

Consumer inflation expectations pick up in April

May 13, 2024

LISTEN

Marketplace Minute

Consumer sentiment declines in May

May 10, 2024

LISTEN

Marketplace Minute

Mortgage rates tick down

May 9, 2024

LISTEN

Marketplace Minute

Wholesale inventories tick down

May 8, 2024

LISTEN

Marketplace Minute

Logistics sector slows in April

May 7, 2024

LISTEN

Marketplace Minute

Job satisfaction shows signs of slipping

May 6, 2024

LISTEN

Latest Stories (703)

The cost of imports from Asia and North America are moving in opposite directions

by Justin Ho

Apr 12, 2024

The things we buy from China and Japan became cheaper in March, while prices rose on automotive goods and energy from Mexico and Canada.

Each category of goods that the U.S. buys from Mexico, Canada, China and Japan has its own price trend, as does each country's currency.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

Efforts to boost manufacturing and clean energy run up against a shortage of welders

by Justin Ho

Apr 5, 2024

Welders are needed to build and upgrade roads and bridges, energy infrastructure and chip foundries. But the profession has an image problem.

There’s a perception that welding is a dirty, dangerous and dead-end career. Employers are trying to change that.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

Small businesses have Now Hiring signs up — whether they need workers or not

by Justin Ho

Apr 2, 2024

So government stats on job openings may not be telling us much.

Frankesha Watkins, who owns a beauty supply store, said she always keeps a job listing posted because high turnover among her staff creates frequent openings.

Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

Baltimore Bridge Collapse

Big cargo ships are more efficient. And more risky.

by Justin Ho

Mar 27, 2024

Cargo ships have grown since the Francis Scott Key Bridge was built. Collisions have greater impact, physically and economically.

The scene of the shipping accident in Baltimore. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law earmarked billions of dollars for port upgrades made necessary by the scaling up of cargo ships.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

Baltimore Bridge Collapse

Supply chains already feel the pinch as collapsed bridge blocks Baltimore's port

by Justin Ho

Mar 26, 2024

And there's no telling how long it'll take to reopen the port. Other East Coast ports will have to handle some of the shipping traffic.

The cargo ship Dali reported losing power before it struck a column on the Francis Scott Key bridge.

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

Mortgage rates have fallen, but are homes more affordable?

by Justin Ho

Mar 25, 2024

When you take mortgage rates, housing prices and incomes into account, homes are 44% less affordable than they were two years ago.

New home sales were 6% higher than the same time last year. But that doesn't mean the new homes are more affordable.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

Forward-looking economic indicators turn positive

by Justin Ho

Mar 22, 2024

The Conference Board's Leading Economic Index turned positive in February for the first time since February 2022. That's a sign that the economy will avoid a recession this year, even if it slows down.

Stock prices, manufacturing orders, credit availability and other indicators all give us hints about future economic activity.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

The Fed loves a data buffet. What's on the menu these days?

by Justin Ho

Mar 20, 2024

Beyond government reports on inflation and jobs, it examines bank and payment processor data along with factory output, credit and rents.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell leaves a news conference. "I like to refer to the Federal Reserve as the Hoover vacuum of data," says former Fed economist Claudia Sahm.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

Import prices rose more slowly in February. That could help bring down inflation.

by Justin Ho

Mar 15, 2024

The Labor Department reported that the price of imported goods rose 0.3% in February compared to 0.8% the month before.

Prices at the import level can affect prices that show up in other inflation data.

Julia Nikhinson/AFP via Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

Acquire or be acquired may be the new reality for small and midsize banks

by Justin Ho

Mar 14, 2024

Many are struggling with high deposit rates and shaky commercial real estate portfolios. Some seek to bulk up as a solution.

First Republic failed and was absorbed by JPMorgan Chase. Due to pressures in the banking industry, some expect to see more consolidation.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

LISTEN

EMBED

Justin Ho

Reporter

SHORT BIO

Episodes by Justin (167)

Latest Stories (703)

HTML EMBED:

Share Now on:

Subscribe Using:

HTML EMBED:

Share Now on:

Subscribe Using:

HTML EMBED:

Share Now on:

Subscribe Using:

HTML EMBED:

Share Now on:

Subscribe Using:

HTML EMBED:

Share Now on:

Subscribe Using:

HTML EMBED:

Share Now on:

Subscribe Using:

HTML EMBED:

Share Now on:

Subscribe Using:

HTML EMBED:

Share Now on:

Subscribe Using:

HTML EMBED:

Share Now on:

Subscribe Using:

HTML EMBED:

Share Now on:

Subscribe Using:

Subscribe to Marketplace Newsletters: