Labor shortages, supply chain woes slow Texas recovery
The Texas economy is on the path to a solid recovery, although the pace of growth has eased since March, recent data suggest.
June 24, 2021
Southwest Economy, Second Quarter 2021
Federal COVID-19 relief aided consumer debt, though immigrant Texans derived less benefit
The prevalence of various federal-level assistance programs helped U.S. and Texas residents shore up their household finances during the COVID-19 recession. Among mostly immigrant groups, this tendency was less pronounced, likely due to legal and socioeconomic barriers.
June 18, 2021
Southwest Economy, Second Quarter 2021
Texas winter deep freeze broke refining, petrochemical supply chains
It may take the Texas petrochemical industry until year-end 2021 to fully recover from the record cold that triggered power outages and supply disruptions in mid-February.
June 18, 2021
Southwest Economy, Second Quarter 2021
Banks face new challenges as Texas rebounds from COVID-19 shock
The banking industry faced significant challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, with profitability declining to levels not seen since the 2008–09 financial crisis.
June 18, 2021
Southwest Economy, Second Quarter 2021
Texas restaurants find change on postpandemic menu
Emily Williams Knight, president and CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association, discusses how the dining industry survived COVID-19 and the changes that have occurred.
June 18, 2021
Southwest Economy, Second Quarter 2021
Oil patch productivity rises; jobs vanish
After major oil price busts in 2014 and 2020, the same engineering prowess that helped the oil and gas industry thrive has been driven to find efficiencies to lower operating costs.
June 18, 2021
Texas economic activity springs ahead as growth strengthens
Economic activity in Texas accelerated sharply in March, according to recent data that also indicate a continuation of the strong momentum.
May 06, 2021
Cost of Texas’ 2021 deep freeze justifies weatherization
Our analysis indicates winterizing for extreme winter weather events appears financially reasonable.
April 15, 2021
Southwest Economy, First Quarter 2021
COVID-19 slammed into Texas, leaving long-lasting impacts
The economic road from the COVID-19 recession in Texas will likely feature a steeper, more rapid climb than the usual gradual rise associated with most recoveries.
April 09, 2021
Southwest Economy, First Quarter 2021
Pandemic pushes Texas minority unemployment beyond highs reached during Great Recession
Recessions are hardest on minorities; the COVID-19 downturn is no different in that regard. More than half of Texas’ population is Hispanic or Black and the consequences are far-reaching if those groups lag behind economically.
April 09, 2021