U.S. job openings are near a four-year low. Finding work has gotten harder.
The numbers: It’s gotten harder for the unemployed...
The numbers: It’s gotten harder for the unemployed to find work: Job openings in the U.S. fell at the end of 2024 to the second lowest level since the end of the pandemic.
In December, job openings in the U.S. decreased to 7.6 million from 8.2 million in November, marking a significant drop from the 2022 peak of 12.2 million. This decline reflects a broader trend over the past two years where openings have decreased sporadically by over a third. Additionally, the labor market is showing signs of cooling as it now takes longer for people to find jobs after losing them, with unemployment benefits claims reaching their highest levels since 2018, excluding the pandemic years. There has also been a notable increase in the number of people unemployed for over six months. The recent job openings data suggests that the labor market may not be as robust as suggested by the job growth reported in November and December. Further insights are expected with the January employment report, which will also include revisions to last year’s job estimates, amidst speculations by some economists that these gains have been overstated.
BLM Seeks Initial Input for September 2025 Oil and Gas Lease Sale in Wyoming
The Bureau of Land Management’s Wyoming State Office has opened a 30-day...
The Bureau of Land Management’s Wyoming State Office has opened a 30-day public scoping period to receive public input on 38 oil and gas parcels totaling 46,118 acres that may be included in a September 2025 lease sale in Wyoming. The comment period ends March 3, 2025.
Leasing is the first step in the process to develop Federal oil and gas resources. Before development operations can begin, an operator must submit an application for a permit to drill detailing development plans. The BLM reviews applications for permits to drill, posts them for public review, conducts an environmental analysis and coordinates with state partners and stakeholders.
EIA: Drops in Texas, N.M. lower US oil production in Nov.
The Energy Information Administration has reported a 122,000-barrel-per-day...
The Energy Information Administration has reported a 122,000-barrel-per-day drop in US crude oil production in November, to 13.31 million bpd from a record 13.44 million bpd in October, as declines in Texas and New Mexico surpassed a 3.5% increase in North Dakota. In contrast, gross natural gas output climbed by roughly 0.2% to 115.8 Bcf/d.
Molten salt reactor could advance produced water reuse
A partnership between Abilene Christian University, Texas Tech and advanced...
A partnership between Abilene Christian University, Texas Tech and advanced nuclear developer Natura Resources seeks to use Natura's molten salt reactor under construction at ACU for carbon-free energy production and thermal desalination of produced water. Building on a feasibility study with the Texas Produced Water Consortium, the team will integrate the molten salt technology with water desalination and energy production systems once the reactor comes online in 2026 or 2027. "There are great opportunities for beneficial uses of treated produced water in Texas such as rangeland restoration, crop irrigation and streamflow augmentation, among others, especially in the Permian Basin," said consortium Director Shane Walker.
Trump orders the creation of a sovereign wealth fund. President...
Trump orders the creation of a sovereign wealth fund. President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Treasury and Commerce Departments to create the nation’s first-ever sovereign wealth fund—something he hinted could be used to buy TikTok. These government investment vehicles are more typical in countries with budget surpluses (unlike the US which tends to have a deficit), and the order didn’t specify where the fund would get money from, although Trump has previously said it could be “tariffs and other intelligent things.”
Trump administration officials are mulling executive orders that would shut down large parts of the Department of Education, according to the Wall Street Journal.
OpenAI unveiled a new agent that uses ChatGPT to conduct in-depth research. It’s creatively named “deep research.”
Climate change could erase $1.47 trillion in value from the US housing market over the next 30 years, a new study by First Street found.
Santorini, the Greek island everyone on your Insta feed has posted pictures of, was shaken by several earthquakes.
The New Orleans Saints were more involved than was previously known in helping local Catholic Church leaders orchestrate a PR campaign to try to limit fallout from clergy abuse revelations, internal emails from the NFL team show.
