Investor Resources
Recession Recovery: An Uneven Union
- August 07, 2009
When it comes to a recession, not all states are created equal. Some economically strong states have managed to weather the financial storm while other more vulnerable states were hit especially hard by the economic bombshell.
States like Michigan, Nevada and Oregon have seen unemployment spikes as the recession crumbled the states’ cornerstone industries.
That’s the bad news. The good news is some states have become pockets of strength and are showing the recession is subsiding.
One of these states is Virginia, which edged out last year’s winner, Texas, to take top spot in CNBC’s annual “America’s Top States for Business” report.
While it didn’t rank number 1 in any of the individual judging categories, Virginia scored in the top-10 for its workforce, economy and its quality of education, thus taking the top spot overall.
Though it finished second, the Lone Star State has had its share of good press lately.
The Economist ran a cover story a few weeks ago that contrasted the strength of the Texas economy with the struggles of California.
Read the Economist article here*
The article points out that more Fortune 500 companies (64) call Texas home compared with New York (56) and California (51). In addition to a pro-business tax structure, Texas has the benefit of having ample natural resources and geography on its side—major port access, cross-border trade with Mexico and hundreds of square miles of farmland.
Texas also has a relatively low foreclosure rate—1 per 785 households—while California is near the top with 1 per 132 households.
Forbes currently lists two Texas cities in its top-25 cities for business and careers. Austin is ranked number 8 while San Antonio—home of U.S. Global Investors—ranks number 16.
I should point out that Texas is not without its problems. As the Wall Street Journal pointed out a few weeks ago, a two-year drought and heat wave have severely damaged the South Texas farming and cattle industries.
As the economy recovers, it’s important for investors to identify those pockets of strength that will outperform others. Just as the global economy will rely on a handful of countries to right the ship, certain states will need to lead the U.S. down the road to recovery.
*This link goes to The Economist Web site. U.S. Global Investors does not endorse any information supplied by this website and is not responsible for any of its content. All opinions expressed and data provided are subject to change without notice. Some of these opinions may not be appropriate to every investor. 09-540
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