Southwest Economy Archive

• September 21, 2020
  Snapshot: Texas employment estimate debuts

  Jesus Cañas, Keith R. Phillips and Carlee Crocker

  The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’ new Texas Weekly Employment Estimate (TWEE) is a timely tool to monitor evolving economic conditions while awaiting release of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ establishment survey of employment.
• June 23, 2020
  Southwest Economy, Second Quarter 2020
  This issue looks at small business hardships with lenders and challenges banks face from the oil price collapse during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also includes a Spotlight on the spike in black unemployment rates, a Q&A with Janie Barrera, president and CEO of LiftFund, and an infographic on how COVID-19 has tanked U.S. fuel consumption and prices.
• June 23, 2020
  President’s perspective
  President Kaplan shares recent thoughts on the outlook for Fed policy, COVID-19 testing and negative interest rates.
• June 23, 2020
  Small business hardships highlight relationship with lenders in COVID-19 era

  Wenhua Di, Nathaniel Pattison and Chloe Smith

  The COVID-19 crisis has disrupted normal small business operations and will likely limit the ability of many enterprises to stay financially afloat.
• June 23, 2020
  COVID-19, oil price collapse dimming outlook for banks in 2020

  Amy Chapel and Kory Killgo

  Eleventh District banks face challenges from instability in the energy sector and economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
• June 23, 2020
  LiftFund’s microlending helps small businesses battle to survive COVID-19
  Janie Barrera is the founding president and chief executive officer of San Antonio-based LiftFund. Created in 1994, LiftFund has one of the nation’s largest microlending portfolios. The nonprofit provides loans and management training to very small enterprises in Texas and seven other states.
• June 23, 2020
  Black workers at risk for 'last hired, first fired'

  Aquil Jones and Joseph Tracy

  In the U.S., black unemployment rates have spiked much more than white jobless rates during recessions. Additionally, black unemployment rates tend to more slowly recede.
• June 23, 2020
  COVID-19 tanks U.S. fuel consumption, prices

  Design: Olu Eseyin; Content: Jesse Thompson

  The effects of the pandemic, including working from home and reduced travel, dropped fuel consumption from mid-March to mid-April 2020.
• April 6, 2020
  Mexico’s higher costs under USMCA may potentially offset gains from China-related trade spurt with U.S.

  Daniel Chiquiar, Jesus Cañas, Armando Aguirre and Alfonso Cebreros

  Approval of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) could change trade within the North American region, affecting output and weakening North America’s global competitiveness.
• April 6, 2020
  Groundwater markets slowly evolve in ever-thirstier Texas

  Keith R. Phillips and Judy Teng

  Texas’ growing population is increasing the demand for water, a commodity that in many parts of the state is subject to wide swings from abundance during wet cycles to shortfall during droughts.