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Thursday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Half of small businesses in Florida plan to hire this year
About 54 percent of small businesses in Florida expect to hire during the next six months, but they are worried about the future of the economy, according to results from the most recent Florida Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index Survey. More from the South Florida Business Journal, WJXT, and Florida Politics.
The report:
» Small Business Index Survey: latest findings from Quarter 1, 2016
FDA grants use of experimental blood test for Zika screening
Federal health officials are granting use of an experimental test to screen blood donations for Zika virus, an emergency step designed to protect local blood supplies from the mosquito-borne virus. [Source: AP]
Florida cities among most cost-friendly business locations
Orlando, Tampa, and Miami all rank in the top ten most cost-friendly cities in which to do business. The study compares 31 large metro areas across a range of factors related to doing business, including costs associated with taxes, labor, facilities, transportation and utilities. More from the Tampa Bay Business Journal, the Orlando Business Journal, and KPMG.
Blue Cross finds Affordable Care Act enrollees to be sicker
Consumers who signed up for Blue Cross Blue Shield health plans through the Affordable Care Act’s insurance marketplaces these last two years tended to be sicker and incurred greater medical costs than people with BCBS coverage through their jobs. See the full report from BCBS here. Also read more at the Washington Post.
Gov. Scott orders Visit Florida, Space Florida reviews
Gov. Rick Scott’s administration is conducting a thorough examination of Visit Florida and Space Florida to discover what kind of return on investment the public-private economic development agencies get for taxpayers. More from the Orlando Sentinel and the AP.
› Director Kevin Smith eyes Sarasota as movie backdrop
Sarasota could soon be the backdrop for a film by director, writer and actor Kevin Smith, who was behind movies such as “Clerks,” “Chasing Amy,” “Dogma” and “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.”
› Connecticut company relocates to Manatee
Ergotech Inc., a Danbury, Conn.-based manufacturing company, is relocating its corporate headquarters to its south Manatee County location, effective April 1.
› Have a look inside the 1-million-square-foot Amazon fulfillment center in Ruskin
Amazon opened the doors to its 1.1-million-square-foot fulfillment center in Ruskin Wednesday to celebrate the warehouse's grand opening more than a year and a half after its launch.
» Video: Gov. Scott celebrates creation of 2,500 new jobs at Amazon's Ruskin Fulfillment Center
› Carnival Corp.'s profits sail higher
Miami-based Carnival Corp. & PLC posted better-than-expected first-quarter profit, buoyed by higher ticket prices and lower fuel costs.
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