Southwest Economy Archive

• December 22, 2022
  Blame costlier natural gas, rising fees for increasing Texas power bills

  Jesse Thompson

  The cost of keeping the lights on in Texas homes has soared this year, as natural gas prices attained highs not seen since 2008.
• December 22, 2022
  H-E-B seeks path during era of consumer wariness, persistently rising costs
  Craig Boyan. president of San Antonio-based grocery chain H-E-B, discusses lingering pandemic challenges and operating in a difficult economic environment.
• December 22, 2022
  Texas economy rides wave of changing technology and diffusion of know-how

  Laila Assanie and Yichen Su

  Data on patents and employment show that Texas is a major center of innovation and high-tech employment.
• December 22, 2022
  Texas metro unemployment rates drop but remain above early 2020 levels

  Ana Pranger and Pia Orrenius

  Unemployment rates across Texas metros have come down quickly since the pandemic recession of 2020, though they remain above preoutbreak levels.
• December 22, 2022
  Go Figure: If Texas were a country …

  Content: Ana Pranger; Design: Justin Chavira and Emily Rogers

  Texas is comparable to entire countries—and so are some of its urban areas.
• October 3, 2022
  Maquiladoras, Mexico’s engine of trade, driven to navigate evolving demand

  Jesus Cañas

  Mexico’s maquiladoras, an important generator of manufacturing and employment activity along the U.S.–Mexico border, confront a changing landscape. Evolving global trade patterns, reflecting stressed supply chains and increasing electric vehicle production, will test maquiladora agility and growth prospects.
• October 3, 2022
  Supply chains slowly mend as Texas firms view recovery in 2023

  Christopher Slijk and Emily Kerr

  Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, disrupted global supply chains have strained Texas businesses trying to meet strong demand.
• October 3, 2022
  Globalization remains a force despite pandemic, political strains

  On the record: A conversation with Pol Antràs

  Pol Antràs, the Robert G. Ory Professor of Economics at Harvard University, discusses international trade flows and what the evidence suggests about the world economy and the accompanying debate about whether an era of deglobalization may be at hand.
• 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.