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 (600)

What makes Japan’s economy the odd man out? 

In an effort to stimulate a sluggish economy, the government got creative and started applying negative interest rates.
Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda speaks at a press conference.
Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via Getty Images

What are some of the key takeaways from Davos 2024?

War, A.I. and U.S. elections were among the key talking points at the World Economic Forum, says Patrick Foulis of The Economist.
At the World Economic Forum, many decisions are being made based on the possibility of another Trump presidency, says Patrick Foulis of The Economist.
Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

Are we entering a world of surge dining?

Jan 11, 2024
Dynamic pricing is the practice of having prices that vary by demand or even customer type. We're used to it when it comes to airlines and ridesharing. But what about restaurants?
With the introduction of digital menus during the pandemic, the restaurant industry gained the ability to change their prices in real time.
Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images

How trauma can show up in our relationship with money — and what can be done about it

Chantel Chapman, co-founder of Trauma of Money, discusses the complicated connection between trauma we've experienced and how we save or spend.
BrianAJackson/Getty Images

What it would take for Cuba to rebound economically

We take a look at why people are fleeing Cuba and how the U.S. can help.
People look at food prices at a private business in Havana on Dec. 20. Cuba's economic crisis is driving an influx of migrants to the U.S.
Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images

Shark populations are being threatened by a booming, illicit shark fin trade

More than 70 million sharks are killed for their fins worldwide. Those fins are considered a status symbol in some parts of the world.
Dried shark fins are shown in a window in China's Guangdong province in August 2014.
Johannes Eisele/AFP

The Apple watch patent battle is the latest in a long war over innovation in America

Dec 20, 2023
Apple is is expected to end sales of two new watches after it lost a patent case. How does this compare to other patent conflicts?
Apple said it would halt the sale of its Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches as soon as this week.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Housing construction was expected to fall in November. Instead, it surged.

Dec 19, 2023
Housing starts surged nearly 15%, blowing expectations out of the water. What does that mean for the future of the housing market?
In November, 1.56 million single-family homes began construction, up nearly 15% from October.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

What it takes to work in America

Pathways for highly educated immigrants or seasonal workers can be scarce, and for other jobs they're practically nonexistent.
"We are stuck with an inflexible system where we rely on Congress to change the caps and categories for immigration," said Julia Gelatt of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at the Migration Policy Institute.
Alex Kent/AFP via Getty Images

What immigration actually does to jobs, wages and more

Republican lawmakers want immigration changes in exchange for Ukraine aid. What does economic research say about current policy?
The economic research tells us that immigration does not cause serious wage losses, for example.
Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images