Daily Report AM

Roundup: Child support payments / Dell’s $6B gift / University funding oversight

State near the bottom: Louisiana collected $2.2 billion in child support over four years but still ranks near the bottom nationally, securing just 56%...

A snapshot of how the local commercial real estate market performed in October

Commercial real estate sales in East Baton Rouge Parish continued to climb in October, posting a significant increase in sales volume, according to Elifin's...

How AI is at play in the new era of college admissions

Students applying to college know they can’t—or at least shouldn’t—use AI chatbots to write their essays and personal statements. So it might come as...

Deep discounts are tempting commercial real estate investors

Commercial real estate may be out of favor, but it might also be one of the few fairly priced asset classes left, The Wall...

What’s the outlook for the 2026 crawfish season?

Louisiana crawfish farmers are heading into the 2026 season with a general sense of optimism, according to Todd Fontenot, a crawfish expert with LSU’s...

‘LaPolitics’: With data centers coming, lawmakers launch energy task force

A new task force created by Senate President Cameron Henry last met a couple weeks ago with a single item on the agenda: a...

Meta moving forward: Entergy to break ground on power facilities in north Louisiana

Entergy Louisiana is set to break ground Monday on two new power generation facilities in north Louisiana aimed at supporting new economic development in...

Who’s building and who’s buying in Greater Baton Rouge

A look at the latest property transactions and issued permits in East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes.  East Baton Rouge South Carolina-based Hudson Automotive bought...

Roundup: Gen Z shoppers / Hottest job sectors / Copper thefts surge

Budget tightening: Gen Z is tightening holiday budgets far more than other age groups, squeezing retailers that rely on young shoppers to drive trends....

How the oil glut is reshaping global winners and losers

The oil market is slipping into its first major glut since 2020, Bloomberg writes.  The International Energy Agency is now projecting supply will exceed demand...

Louisiana among states scrambling to deal with the federal funding drop-off

States that saw their budgets balloon during the pandemic are now grappling with the hangover as federal aid dries up, The Center Square writes.  COVID-era...

Roundup: LNG permit reissued / Airport delays / Black Friday enthusiasm

On further review: Louisiana regulators have reissued a key coastal use permit for the Commonwealth LNG export terminal in Cameron Parish after updating an...

Want ROI from AI? Fix your data first

Companies racing to adopt AI are discovering that tools alone aren’t delivering real returns, Fast Company writes.  The true differentiator isn’t the size of an...

What the latest US unemployment numbers say about the job market

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits declined last week in a sign that overall layoffs remain low, even as several high-profile companies...

Why Louisiana’s economy depends on a stable flood insurance program

Louisiana is more vulnerable to instability in the National Flood Insurance Program than most other states, Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says. Even short...

Louisiana is being urged to lock in its hydrogen future

Louisiana’s Clean Hydrogen Task Force is urging state leaders to move quickly to secure the state’s edge in the emerging clean hydrogen economy, The...

Hudson Automotive begins takeover of All Star dealerships after acquisition

South Carolina-based Hudson Automotive Group has finalized its purchase of three individual dealerships in Livingston Parish as part of its previously agreed acquisition of...

What the long-delayed report on US retail sales says about consumer spending

Sales at U.S. retailers and restaurants increased modestly in September as resilient consumers moderated their spending after splurging over the summer. Sales rose 0.2% in...

Roundup: Sneaker strategy / Labor market / Wholesale inflation

Pricing power: Swiss sneaker brand On is defying industry headwinds by raising prices instead of dodging tariffs, leaning on affluent shoppers who see its...

‘LaPolitics’: How will tax reform, federal cuts affect state finances?

As we approach the midpoint of the fiscal year, early indications suggest tax collections are pretty close to what officials expected.  The Revenue Estimating Conference...