Apologies to North Dakota, but the slide in oil prices is good for the U.S. economy overall. At least that’s the conclusion Barclays draws in a note to clients Thursday (the North Dakota apology is ours). More than five years ago, such a statement wouldn’t have been necessary. Oil below $80 a barrel would be an unqualified positive for the U.S. economy. But that was before the shale-oil boom, and that has complicated the equation a bit. Lower prices mean U.S. consumers and businesses will spend less on oil. While the U.S. imports less oil than it did, it is still a net importer oil. That means a lot of the money that would have otherwise gone overseas will be spent instead on U.S.-produced goods and services. Barclays chief U.S. equity strategist Jonathan Glionna estimates that a 20% decline in gas prices results in approximately $70 […]