Mitchell Hartman

Correspondent

SHORT BIO

Mitchell’s most important job at Marketplace is to explain the economy in ways that non-expert, non-business people can understand. Michell thinks of his audience as anyone who works, whether for money or not, and lives in the economy . . . which is most people.

Mitchell wants to understand, and help people understand, how the economy works, who it helps, who it hurts and why. Mitchell gets to cover what he thinks are some of the most interesting aspects of the economy: wages and inflation, consumer psychology, wealth inequality, economic theory and how it measures up to economic reality.

Mitchell was a high school newspaper nerd and a college newspaper editor. He has worked for The Philadelphia Inquirer, WXPN-FM, WBAI-FM, KPFK-FM, Pacifica Radio, the CBC, the BBC, Monitor Radio, Cairo Today Magazine, The Jordan Times, The Middletown Press, The New Haven Register, Oregon Business Magazine, the Reed College Alumni Magazine, and Marketplace (twice — 1994-2001 & 2008-present).

Mitchell has gone on strike (Newspaper Guild vs. Knight Ridder, Philadelphia, 1985) and helped organize a union (with SAG-AFTRA at Marketplace, 2021-23). Mitchell once interviewed Marcel Marceau and got him to talk.

Latest Stories (2,045)

Breaking down Fed Chair Jay Powell's latest GDP report analysis

Jun 27, 2024
Powell is paying close attention to "final sales," a narrower measure than GDP itself that focuses on private sector demand.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell is taking aim at final sales following the latest GDP report.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

A drop in bond yields could signal a long-awaited break for would-be homebuyers

Jun 18, 2024
Falling interest rates on Treasuries could lead to lower mortgage rates, which are key to a recovery in the housing market.
While moderately lower rates may push some prospective buyers to jump in, rates may have to fall a lot before current homeowners give up their pre-2022 mortgages.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Why are bond prices up right now? And what difference does it make?

Jun 17, 2024
Rising bond prices mean lower interest rates, indicating that the market is betting on rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.
As bond prices rise, bond yields fall. That's good for their owners — as well as consumers, people shopping for mortgages and others.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Why is the Fed still so cautious about interest rates?

Jun 13, 2024
Despite the CPI coming in unexpectedly low, the Federal Reserve needs more convincing that inflation is really getting better.
"Consumers change their buying habits, they move from steak to chicken, from the upper shelf down to the lower shelf," said Dan North with Allianz Trade about inflation.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

As interest rates stay high, that "lag effect" on the economy is playing out

Jun 12, 2024
The Fed's rate hikes were meant to slow the economy and dampen inflation by raising borrowing costs. There's evidence that's happening.
The Federal Reserve kept interest rates at their current elevated levels, Chair Jerome Powell announced Wednesday.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Fed expected to leave benchmark rate unchanged at June meeting. Is that risky?

Jun 10, 2024
The latest jobs report is unlikely to change the Fed's mind when they meet Tuesday and Wednesday.
The latest jobs report is unlikely to change the Fed's mind when they meet Tuesday and Wednesday.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

How many jobs are being gained or lost due to AI? There are some clues.

Jun 7, 2024
The Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly survey doesn't track jobs added or subtracted due to AI – at least not yet.
Axel Heimken/AFP via Getty Images

How did the closely watched jobs report get its start?

Jun 6, 2024
The survey of employers was created to help answer puzzling questions about labor.
It wasn't until the recession of 1913-1914 that the Bureau of Labor Statistics began regular surveys of employers.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Will the May jobs report show more of a slowdown in wage growth?

Jun 6, 2024
Wages were running hot two years ago, rising about 6% annually. Things have cooled since then, with April average wages up just under 4%.
Economists expect continued moderation in wages.
Kameleon007/Getty Images

The parts of the economy that make stuff are in a bit of a slump

Jun 5, 2024
The government reports construction spending fell for a second month in April. And factory orders were up less than 1% after being revised down for March.
Over the past few months, manufacturing employment has been stable.
Jim Young/AFP via Getty Images