Texas Jobs: Texas added 165,600 nonfarm jobs over the past year, topping all states, with growth at 1.2% from July 2025 to July 2026. Water & Industry Governance: Gov. Abbott appointed Justin Gray to the Lower Neches Valley Authority board, a move tied to managing Neches River storm and flood water for industrial and municipal use. Energy Storage & Manufacturing: LG Energy Solution began production at a new Lansing, Michigan battery plant targeting 35 GWh annual capacity and 1,700 jobs when fully operational. Capital Markets: Westlake announced a dual listing on NYSE Texas while keeping its NYSE primary listing. AI Power Demand & Grid Oversight: ERCOT says it will finish the governor’s data center audit by December, including community impact and energy/water usage reviews for new large loads. Data Centers in West Texas: Prometheus Hyperscale and Istmo Energy plan up to a 2.5GW AI data center campus in Reeves County, using behind-the-meter generation with piped natural gas and methane. Hemp Industry Fight: San Antonio-area hemp retailer Kingpin Kush and others sued Texas over the THC ban rules, arguing DSHS exceeded its authority. Semiconductor Supply Chain Outlook: A new market forecast projects the semiconductor manufacturing equipment market could reach $344.36B by 2032, driven by AI and data center buildouts. Houston Real Estate: Cross Ocean Partners and Fuller Realty bought Eldridge Place in Houston’s Energy Corridor, a 828,784-square-foot office campus. Nuclear Litigation Trend: Nuclear “verdicts” hit record levels in 2025, with Texas among the top states by award totals.