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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 (301)

We're back to saving less

by Matt Levin
Dec 23, 2021
The personal savings rate dropped in November to its lowest level since December 2017.
After squirreling away money at the heights of the pandemic, Americans are reverting back to their pre-COVID spending habits.
skynesher via Getty Images
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Private equity will buy up companies to the tune of $1 trillion this year

by Matt Levin
Dec 17, 2021
Thanks, in part, to the pandemic — and the low interest rates that have accompanied it.
Private equity firms, largely invested in by endowments and pension funds, often buy companies saddled with debt, revamp them and sell them for a profit.
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Online inflation catches up

by Matt Levin
Dec 10, 2021
Fading are the days when you could count on cheaper prices online.
Online shopping used to be a haven for better deals. That might not be the case for much longer.
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Inflation is painful, but there's an upside

by Matt Levin
Dec 8, 2021
Borrowers benefit because their debts can become less expensive.
Rawley Heimer, a professor of finance at Arizona State, says lawmakers from politically drawn districts tend to be less sensitive to voters' needs and put less pressure on lenders.
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To HODL or not to HODL: A crypto-millionaire's story

by Matt Levin
Dec 7, 2021
This year, Glauber Contessoto invested his life savings in the cryptocurrency dogecoin. Now he has more than $800,000 worth.
Some crypto-enthusiasts follow the mantra of HODL, or "hold on for dear life," to weather the volatility of their assets.
Chris McGrath via Getty Images
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COVID-19

Report to the office. No, don't. OK, come now. Actually, wait.

by Matt Levin
Dec 3, 2021
Delta, omicron — they are messing with return-to-office plans.
Google is among the companies to announce return-to-office plans, then delay them because of the spread of coronavirus variants.
Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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Airlines, telecom clash over new 5G spectrum

by Matt Levin
Nov 26, 2021
AT&T and Verizon spent tens of billions to get the latest 5G technology up and running. But airlines say it could impact plane safety.
A contract crew for Verizon updates a cell tower to handle the 5G network in Orem, Utah in 2019.
George Frey/AFP via Getty Images
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Wine and liquor makers are facing a glass bottle shortage

by Matt Levin
Nov 25, 2021
That could mean higher prices or outright shortages of booze for the holidays, the most lucrative time of the year for vinters and distillers.
Partially due to supply chain logjams, wine and liquor makers are paying more for their desired glass bottles.
ViktorCap via Getty Images
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Malls turn to luxury retailers

by Matt Levin
Nov 23, 2021
Retail centers in wealthy neighborhoods with high-end shops have survived, but middle- and lower-tier malls may struggle.
Purveyors of luxury goods have largely fared better during the pandemic than lower-end shops.
Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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"What supply chain crisis?" say Target, Walmart and Home Depot

by Matt Levin
Nov 17, 2021
Target, Walmart and Home Depot told investors they have more than adequate inventory to weather the holidays.
Large retailers including Home Depot, Target and Walmart have all reported well-stocked inventories ahead of the holiday shopping season.
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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