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
Southwest Economy, First Quarter 2021
Collapsing fuel demand tanks Texas exports during pandemic’s peak
The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on Texas energy exports. U.S. energy exports excluding Texas were dramatically less affected.
April 09, 2021
Southwest Economy, First Quarter 2021
Dining out picks up in Texas, Houston
The number of patrons dining at restaurants surged in Texas and Houston after the state thawed from a deep freeze in February and COVID-19 constraints on restaurants and bars were lifted March 10.
April 09, 2021
What can be learned from the persistent electric power outages in Texas?
Texas suffered massive power outages during unusually cold temperatures in February. Millions of households lost access not only to power but also to heat and water for days—a situation that was foreseeable and could have been avoided.
April 01, 2021
Texas economic conditions improve as price pressures build
Economic conditions in Texas have improved, with the Texas Business Outlook Surveys in February showing a pickup in growth after a deceleration in January.
March 25, 2021