Southwest Economy Archive

• October 3, 2022
  Texas exports reach new record despite strong dollar

  Mytiah Caldwell, Jesus Cañas and Luis Torres

  Texas remains the nation’s top exporter, setting records each month despite the recent appreciation of the dollar. A strong dollar can be bad for business because it makes U.S. goods more expensive overseas.
• October 3, 2022
  Office markets slowly emerge from pandemic slump

  Laila Assanie

  The pandemic seismically shifted work from the office to home, particularly during its initial lockdown phases. Even when these limits and capacity restrictions eased and economic activity rebound­ed, office space demand remained soft and vacancy rates climbed.
• October 3, 2022
  Big federal stimulus, home-value spike won’t ease next slump

  Jason Saving

  Ultra-low interest rates and a historic housing boom that aided state and local government operations are fading, suggesting Texas policymakers may encounter additional difficulties during the next downturn.
• October 3, 2022
  Lorie K. Logan: New Dallas Fed president’s observations, outlook
  We look back five years, when then-Harris County Judge Ed Emmett went “On the Record” in Southwest Economy to discuss the response to Hurricane Harvey.
• July 1, 2022
  Southwest Economy, Second Quarter 2022
  This issue examines the effects of the changing economy on banks, Houston's ties to energy, and crypto mining. Also included are a Q&A on the impact of free-trade agreements on Mexico and Central America and a look at electric vehicle charging in Texas.
• July 1, 2022
  Changing economy likely to test banks as stimulus ends, growth slows

  Amy Chapel and Kory Killgo

  Banks in the region and the U.S., which have benefited from pandemic-era fiscal stimulus, face downside risks arising from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ongoing COVID-19 shocks abroad and expectations of significant central bank tightening to address elevated inflation.
• July 1, 2022
  Looking back: Harris County five years after Hurricane Harvey hit

  Luis Torres

  We look back five years, when then-Harris County Judge Ed Emmett went “On the Record” in Southwest Economy to discuss the response to Hurricane Harvey.
• July 1, 2022
  Houston, still an energy town, largely pins growth on the sector

  Jesse Thompson

  In recent months, increasing oil and gas demand and shifting geopolitics have become tailwinds for energy production and exports—as well as for Houston.
• July 1, 2022
  Federal dollars could drive electric vehicle charging across Texas

  Jessica Rindels and Michael Plante

  Consumers who are reluctant to switch to electric vehicles cite inadequate charging facilities. The federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act seeks to address such concerns, providing funding to expand charging infrastructure along interstates and in rural areas.
• April 1, 2022
  Southwest Economy, First Quarter 2022
  This issue examines the uncertain return of college students after the pandemic, financial literacy efforts in Texas, and benefits and costs of legalized recreational marijuana use in New Mexico. Also included are a Q&A on cross-border manufacturing and a look at employment recovery in Texas.