Exports have gone from a source of strength to a drag on the Texas economy. The state's real exports declined nearly 20 percent from their peak in second quarter 2008 through first quarter 2009, ending a five-year growth spurt.

As the U.S. and Texas slipped into recession last year, a balanced economy lessened the impact on upper East Texas. In March, the region's year-over-year nonfarm employment was down 0.4 percent, compared with the state's decline of 0.8 percent and the nation's 3.5 percent. Unemployment rates in...

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...

Production of more than 7 billion pounds a year makes milk one of Texas' top 10 agricultural commodities. However, 2009 is shaping up to be a tough year for the state's dairy producers.

Austin, Texas, February 27, 2007 ; "Last year, employment grew twice as fast in Texas as it did in the rest of the United States. Construction payrolls grew at five times the U.S. rate. We added 26,000 net new factory jobs in 2006, while the nation's manufacturers posted an overall loss of...

"As to the Federal Reserve reducing its balance sheet so as not to monetize the excess reserves waiting to be converted to bank loans to the private sector, I have been very clear: Given the lag between the time monetary policy is initiated and when it impacts the economy, that wind-down process...

A new economic indicator published monthly by the Dallas Fed will provide timely estimates of retail sales in Texas.

Differences in economic factors and mortgage characteristics give the state a lower delinquency rate.