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Sabri Ben-Achour

Correspondent & Host

SHORT BIO

My job is to do what I can to help all of us understand the economic forces that shape our lives and our world.

What was your first job?

I was a waiter!

What do you think is the hardest part of your job that no one knows?

It can be hard to break down complex topics quickly and fairly.

In your next life, what would your career be?

A chemist or a geneticist, I think.

What’s your most memorable Marketplace moment?

Playing with giant horseshoe crabs under the moonlight as they swam ashore to spawn. (It was for a story on how their blood is used in the medical industry).

What’s the favorite item in your workspace and why?

My plants. I water them when I'm stressed. They get a lot of water.

Latest Stories (591)

How colonial exploitation of Haiti set the stage for its ongoing political crisis

"Haiti is now facing the prospect of living without any traces of a recognizable state for the first time in a long time," says MIT's Malick Ghachem.
Members of the G-9 federation gang patrol streets in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Feb. 22.
Giles Clarke/Getty Images

Why do companies go private?

There's news that department store chain Nordstrom is looking to go private, after a previous attempt failed.
Nordstrom's stock jumped 10% last week after a report said the company is looking to go private.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Takeaways from one of the world's biggest energy summits

CERAWeek in Houston has shown that despite agreements to transition away fossil fuels, oil and gas are still deeply entrenched.
"The mood is very sour this year amongst the oilmen," says the Economist's Vijay Vaitheeswaran of CERAWeek.
Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images

More mining is needed for the energy transition. It's also a threat.

In his book "The War Below," Ernest Scheyder explores the tension between intrusive mining and powering our energy transition.
"Are there some places too special to mine? And if we decide to have mining, what are the standards by which we would allow mining in those places?" asks writer Ernest Scheyder.
Martin Bernetti/AFP via Getty Images

Unilever is planning to spin off its ice cream assets

Mar 19, 2024
The move, which would see Ben & Jerry's moved to a stand-alone unit, is part of a corporate restructuring.
Unilever and its new CEO want to cut out what’s not doing well and prioritize what they do best.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Recent immigrants have filled labor gaps, boosted job creation, experts say

Mar 15, 2024
There has been a wave of migration to the U.S. — legal and not — since 2022. Many who entered are finding and keeping jobs.
In 2022 and 2023, 5.9 million people migrated to the U.S., according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Junk bonds offer insight into the economy

Mar 6, 2024
Right now, the junk bond market suggests the economy is fairly strong.
Junk bonds come from companies that have a higher debt, giving them a less than stellar credit rating.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images

Household debt is up sharply, but don't worry ... yet.

Mar 5, 2024
The amount we are paying in interest on this debt — as a percentage of our income — has been climbing.
Anchiy/Getty Images

The Biden administration is worried about Chinese cars — and the electronics that come with them

Feb 29, 2024
The administration says the electronics could transmit sensitive information about U.S citizens and infrastructure. But it's also worried about the impact of Chinese EVs on U.S. automakers.
BYD electric cars waiting to be loaded onto a cargo ship in China's Shandog province. The U.S. currently imposes a 27.5% tariff on Chinese-made vehicles.
STR/AFP via Getty Images