An unemployment rate with a persistent long-term component can be more detrimental to the economy than the same jobless rate with a smaller share of long-term unemployed.

The underemployed and the discouraged—those who have given up trying to find work— are additional indicators of labor dislocation.

Symbolic of Texas' relative economic health during the recent recession, the unemployment rate has trailed U.S. joblessness by an average of 1 percentage point since January 2007. State policymakers may gain valuable insights by determining how this remarkable gap emerged. Is it due to changes...

With relatively stable house prices in Texas, the incidence of underwater mortgages was a fraction of what occurred in hard-hit states.

Because of the significance of self-employment, understanding its relationship to the business cycle is especially useful during periods of financial stress.

Hundreds of foreign companies, employing almost 400,000 workers, have put down roots in Texas. The highest concentration of jobs is in manufacturing, but more foreign firms are finding their way into services. ; Early this decade, Texas exceeded the nation in attracting foreign direct investment...

Economic research confirms what parents have been telling their children for generations: College education pays off in higher earnings. Indeed, the gains from earning a college degree have been rising over the past quarter century--in both the nation and Texas. ; Supply and demand go a long way...

Many baby boom era workers, those born between 1946 and 1962, count on various retirement benefits accumulated during their working years to ensure adequate resources as they grow older. A man turning 65 today can expect to live to age 83; a woman to age 85, according to Social Security...