Roundup: New Orleans attack / Oil spending / Airline travel

The latest: At a news briefing on Thursday, Gov. Jeff Landry shared the ongoing efforts between state, local and federal officials to respond to the attack in New Orleans’ famous French Quarter, which left 15 dead, including the shooter. Countering previous reports, the FBI currently believes Shamsud-Din Jabbar acted alone, though they are examining any official ties and communications with international terrorist organizations. Read more from The Center Square.

Tightening budget: Executives at U.S. shale companies plan to increase spending this year despite giving a lower view on oil prices in the latest energy survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Most executives at 134 oil and gas firms from across the Southwest expect capital spending to increase compared with 2024, according to the bank’s survey released Thursday. Read more from Bloomberg. A subscription may be required.

Airlines recovery: Air travel demand continued to surge in 2024, led by a bounce back in international trips. From January through October alone, revenue-passenger miles worldwide―a metric used to measure demand―was up nearly 11% over last year, according to the International Air Transport Association. In 2025, IATA estimates aircraft departures of 40 million, up 4.6% from 2024. Read more from CNBC.