Southwest Economy Podcast

Dallas Fed economist David Rapson says there's more to the energy transition than switching to electric cars in part one of his discussion with host and Dallas Fed economist Pia Orrenius.

Former Banco de México chief economist Daniel Chiquiar discusses Mexico's postpandemic outlook and its susceptibility to a U.S. downturn in a discussion with Dallas Fed senior business economist  Jesus Cañas.

Senior economist Anil Kumar explores how greater labor availability in Texas—indicated by comparatively higher unemployment—spurs economic activity in an era of worker shortages across the country.

H-E-B President Craig Boyan discusses with Dallas Fed economist Pia Orrenius how the privately held grocer has tried to handle supply, price and labor challenges while continuing to expand in the state.

The era of shortages that began with the pandemic may be winding down, Dallas Fed economist Chris Slijk suggests in this discussion of pervasive supply disruptions with Dallas Fed economist Pia Orrenius.

Pol Antràs, the Robert G. Ory Professor of Economics at Harvard University, explains why despite frayed supply chains and geopolitical tensions, globalization remains a guiding principal for much of how world trade is conducted.

Houston, slow to escape pandemic-era doldrums, has charged ahead with strengthening energy markets. Dallas Fed senior business economist Jesse Thompson and senior economist Pia Orrenius discuss what lies ahead for Houston.

Trade may have hit a few bumps during the pandemic, but it retains the ability to help deal with some vexing problems. The Dallas Fed's Pia Orrenius discusses with Raymond Robertson of the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University how a revamped Central America–U.S. free trade agreement could slow the northward flow of migrants.

Enrollment dropped at colleges and universities in the U.S. and Texas as COVID-19 swept across the nation. Dallas Fed economists Wenhua Di and Pia Orrenius discuss the implications and the importance of getting back to normal.

Recent legalization of recreational marijuana in New Mexico opens up retail sales next door to Texas. University of New Mexico economist Sarah S. Stith discusses the economic gains and social and medical costs with the Dallas Fed's Pia Orrenius and Keighton Hines.

COVID-19 brought to the fore the world's dependence on semiconductors. Tyson Tuttle, who retired in January as CEO of Austin-based Silicon Labs and remains on its board, discusses the chip shortage and how the 2021 Texas freeze contributed to it. He also reflects on Austin's ascension as a technology hub.

Big metro areas on the coasts—especially those in California—have led a surge of migration to Texas since COVID-19's onset. Dallas Fed Senior Research Economist Yichen Su discusses what moves folks to come to Texas and how he used credit report data to document it. 

Texas community colleges are among the U.S. leaders in helping keep the workforce skills current, Opportunity America President Tamar Jacoby explains in a discussion with Dallas Fed Senior Economist Pia Orrenius.

Workplace change, once thought to take a decade or more, became reality during the COVID-19 economic dislocation, Tamar Jacoby, president of Opportunity America, tells Dallas Fed Senior Economist Pia Orrenius.

Legal immigrants, eligible to receive COVID-19 assistance, didn't seek help at a rate most others did. Senior research economist Wenhua Di discusses why that happened.

Petrochemicals, used in a range of goods and even foods, will remain tight into 2022 following last February's historic freeze, senior economist Jesse Thompson says.

Dallas Fed economists assess the nation's largest exporting state after a pandemic-year slump hit Texas especially hard.

Senior business economist Emily Kerr describes how the Texas economy's recovery is unlike any she has seen while monitoring state activity.

Research economist Yichen Su explains how the pandemic provided the impetus for the recent relocation from central cities to the suburbs and why some of the shift will likely persist.

Dallas Fed Senior Economist Anil Kumar discusses how Texas benefits from increased federal unemployment insurance and why the state misses out on realizing the full measure of Covid-19 jobs relief.

University of Oklahoma Economist Gary A. Hoover talks with Dallas Fed Senior Economist Pia Orrenius about underrepresentation of African Americans in economics and the challenges of discussing race, ethnicity and inequality in the classroom.

Dallas Fed senior economist Jason Saving discusses with Dallas Fed Senior Economist Keith R. Phillips how Texas's budgetary response to the pandemic will differ from other states.

Dallas Fed Research Analyst Aquil Jones and Executive Vice President Joseph Tracy explain why Black workers became particularly vulnerable to the phenomenon of 'last hired, first fired' in the economic fallout from COVID-19.

Dallas Fed senior economist Wenhua Di assesses the plight of small businesses attempting to navigate  COVID-19 uncertainty.

Business economist Jesus Cañas discusses his work with colleagues at Banco de México that indicates higher production costs ahead for motor vehicles made in North America under the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.