President's Perspective Robert S. Kaplan
“The headline unemployment rate and other measures of labor market utilization are at or below prerecession lows.”
Texas Sees Coverage Gains
Under Health Care Act Anil Kumar
While Texas was
among the states choosing
not to participate in the
Medicaid expansion under
the Affordable Care Act,
it nonetheless has seen
improvement in the share of
the population with health
insurance coverage. Gains
are notable among the non-college-educated working-age
population in Texas, a
state that has long ranked
near the bottom in health
care coverage nationally.
On the Record: A Conversation with Judge Ed Emmett Harris County Faces
Challenges Following
Hurricane Harvey Deluge
Edward M. Emmett became Harris County judge in 2007. He
is the chief administrative officer and director of emergency
management in the county, which includes most of the city of
Houston. He recently released a 15-point plan to prevent future
flooding disasters. Harris County is the third-most populous U.S.
county, accounting for two-thirds of the Houston metropolitan
statistical area’s population of 6.8 million people.
Leading Indicators, Storm Data
Guide Houston Economic Forecast Jesse Thompson
A forecasting
model for Houston that
incorporates storm damage
data and leading economic
indicators can help project
post-Hurricane Harvey
employment growth. The
forecast indicates that
Houston’s economy will grow
near its 2 percent historical
average in 2018.
Mexico’s ‘SOFOM’ Finance Firms
Attempt to Broaden Loan Availability Michael Perez and Kelsey Reichow
The market
presence of Mexican
finance companies
known as SOFOMES has
expanded rapidly since the
global financial crisis. The
firms largely operate as
independent outlets and
provide financing to small- and
medium-sized companies
as well as to consumers for
larger purchases. Authorities
see SOFOMES as a way to
expand credit to Mexico’s
informal economy.
President's Perspective Robert S. Kaplan
“Although Hurricane Harvey is likely to be among the most expensive natural disasters in U.S. history, we are highly optimistic that Houston and the surrounding area will successfully recover and return to the robust trend growth it experienced before the storm.”
Texas Taxes: Who Bears the Burden? Jason Saving
Texas’ reliance on sales and property taxes makes its revenue-raising
methods more regressive than those in most other states. Texas lawmakers,
facing increasing demands for services, confront a desire to maintain the state’s attractiveness to business even as inequities continue in how the taxpaying burden is shared.
On the Record: A Conversation with Ronen Avraham Tort Reform in Texas Changed Delivery of Medical Services
Ronen Avraham is the Thomas Shelton Maxey Professor in Law at the University of Texas Law School, where his primary academic interest is the economic analysis of torts and health care law. He created and published the Database of State Tort Law Reform, now in its fifth edition. Avraham is a board member of the American Law and Economics Association.
Texas Retail in the Doldrums; Brick-and-Mortar Stores Take the Brunt Amy Jordan
Texas retailers have confronted a pair of challenges. First, the 2015–16 oil bust depressed personal income, while a stronger dollar weakened demand for goods along the border. Second, amid the Texas economy’s recovery, brick-and-mortar retailers have been losing business to internet sales.
High Texas Student Loan Delinquency Rates Underscore Deeper Challenges Wenhua Di and Stephanie Gullo
Texas student loan borrowers have lower debt balances but higher
delinquencies than the national average. Debt loads have increased in recent years, further challenging Texas students, who are already more likely than their counterparts nationally to work while in school.
Spotlight: Cross-Border Pipelines Link U.S. Natural
Gas Producers, Mexican Electricity Users Rachel Brasier and Jesse Thompson
Mexican energy reforms have opened the door to shale gas from the United States—and imports are booming. U.S. natural gas production reached a record high in July 2015, largely due to increased shale drilling dating back to 2010 in the Marcellus field in the Northeastern U.S. and the Permian and Eagle Ford basins in Texas.
Intra-Industry Trade with Mexico May Aid U.S. Global Competitiveness Jesus Cañas, Aldo Heffner and Jorge Herrera Hernández
Since the enactment of NAFTA, U.S.–Mexico trade and manufacturing processes have become increasingly integrated through cross-border production linkages. A new Banco de México economic model finds that U.S. imports from Mexico can be explained by taking into account the level of U.S. exports—suggesting that trade with Mexico may have contributed to enhanced U.S. global competitiveness.
Dallas Fed Insights: How Trade With Mexico Aids U.S. Competitiveness
Eleventh District Banks Confront Challenging Energy, Rate Situation Kelly Klemme and Edward C. Skelton
Regional banks continue to navigate through the reality of depressed, though stable, energy prices. The institutions’ performance slipped behind that of their counterparts nationally in 2016.
On the Record: A Conversation with James "Rad" Weaver Texas Retains Competitive Advantage Despite Oil Price Softness
Rad Weaver, 42, has been chief executive officer of McCombs Partners, the investment arm of McCombs Enterprises, since 2006. He also serves as chair of the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and as a director of the San Antonio Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Weaver discusses opportunities and challenges facing Texas businesses.
Spotlight: Wind Power a Growing Force in Oil Country Justin J. Lee and Kelvinder Virdi
Texas, a state better known for oil production, is the nation’s top producer of wind-generated electricity—an encouraging statistic for consumers seeking clean, renewable energy.
Texas Economy Shifting
into Second Gear in 2017 Keith R. Phillips and Christopher Slijk
Amid an energy sector recovery in the second half of 2016, the Texas economy is positioned to return to its long-term pace of growth this year. However, a significant change in oil prices or further weaknesses in manufacturing remain risks to the outlook.
On the Record: A Conversation with Fred P. Hochberg Strains of Globalization Buffet Trade, Financing of Export-Import Bank
Fred P. Hochberg just concluded an eight-year tenure as the chairman and president of the Export-Import Bank of the United States. He discussed the bank and the outlook for trade during an appearance at the Houston Branch as part of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’ Global Perspectives speakers’ series.
Dallas Booms Through Texas Oil Bust Michael Weiss, Pia Orrenius and Laila Assanie
The Dallas metropolitan division’s economy, buttressed by business relocations and consolidations, has expanded steadily since 2010, following the Great Recession. Growth sectors, which included business and financial services, defense and security, and transportation, powered Dallas and helped it pace the Texas economy after the energy price collapse.
Texas Housing Market Soars
to New Highs, Pricing Out Many Laila Assanie
Texas’ low cost of living has been one key long-term factor in the state’s growth story—sustaining the economy through oil booms and busts. However, unprecedented home price appreciation and tight supply of starter homes during the housing recovery have eroded this advantage.