When oil prices cratered in 2014, much of the blame was attributed to the dramatic increase in US energy production that was made possible by fracking and other technologies. The situation was exacerbated, everyone agreed, by Saudi Arabia’s decisions to increase their own production at the same time. Traditionally, Saudi production costs have been among the lowest in the world, so it was reasonable for them to assume they could weather the downturn better than their competitors. It is clear... [ Read More ]

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The Washington Post recently examined the climate for first time home buyers and found that even more barriers exist to ownership than are commonly considered. Principally, the article looked at the lack of homes for sale and how that impacts those trying to enter the market. “The houses go so quickly” laments Teree Warren, a 31 year-old who is trying to buy a home in the Dallas area. Adding to delayed household formation, staggering student debt and slow wage growth,... [ Read More ]

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