Research Library

As Mexico faces a potential return to single-party rule, its ability to attract foreign direct investment is diminishing, writes fellow David A. Gantz. In this issue brief, he explores a range of factors contributing to Mexico’s adverse investment climate.

John W. Diamond, director of the Baker Institute Center for Public Finance, explains what’s driving the growing government debt, why it’s unsustainable, and why there’s no end in sight without comprehensive fiscal reform.

Medical providers are increasingly asking patients about their access to food, housing, and transportation. In this commentary, fellow Elena M. Marks explores how this type of screening for non-medical needs offers significant benefits for both patients and providers — even when providers cannot address those needs.

Despite a cap on Houston’s property tax collections, these taxes have outpaced population growth and inflation, writes fellow John W. Diamond. This issue brief examines the rise in property tax revenues and proposes strategies for maintaining a sustainable city budget.

As we transition to a 21st-century power grid fueled by renewable energy and controlled by electronics, ensuring the reliability and stability of power supplies will be key. In this issue brief, nonresident scholar Julie A. Cohn explores recent developments and historical analogues crucial for a successful grid transition.

On June 2, Claudia Sheinbaum was elected Mexico’s next president in a landslide win for the ruling leftist Morena party. Tony Payan and Lorena Becerra examine the election results and their political implications in an episode of Baker Briefing.

Hoping to expand trade relations post-Brexit, the U.K. is forming nonbinding memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with individual U.S. states. Fellow David A. Gantz’s report navigates the complex political terrain and economic promises of these MOUs with a focus on the U.K.’s agreements with Texas and Washington.

Steven Miles and Gabriel Collins deliver insights into the recent halt in U.S. LNG exports to China and other developments in the global LNG market.

From 2020 to 2023, sales of hemp-derived cannabinoids increased by 1,283%, reaching a value of $2.78 billion last year. Although the Texas hemp industry is booming, lack of regulation poses risks to public health. A new brief from the Drug Policy Program makes specific recommendations for strengthening and enforcing current laws — ensuring consumer safety while also providing economic benefits for the state.

Earlier this year, China released new regulations on monetization features in video games — and then walked them back after they caused gaming stocks to plunge. Experts unpack the incident on this week’s episode of Baker Briefing.