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Wednesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Office Depot and Staples scrap merger
Office Depot and Staples terminated their planned merger on Tuesday, after a U.S. federal judge ruled to temporarily halt the deal pending a full regulatory review, citing antitrust concerns. Judge Emmet Sullivan of U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, said the agency had shown there was a "reasonable probability" that the merger would "substantially impair competition" for the sale of office supplies to large business customers. More from Reuters, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, the Washington Post, and Bloomberg.
Legal pot industry descends on Florida as voters consider medical marijuana
Medical cannabis in the nation’s third-most populous state could open up one of the biggest markets in the world, a potential cash cow for companies looking for innovative ways to produce the drug and a massive patient base for researchers. [Source: Miami Herald]
So far this year, about 54 percent of U.S. vehicle sales have been trucks and SUVs. Just two years ago, cars ruled the market at 51 percent. While trucks and SUVs are expected to help the industry set a new annual sales record above 17.5 million vehicles this year, some experts are predicting a continued slowdown in sales of cars. More from the AP and NPR.
» Quick poll: What kind of vehicle do you drive?
Cargo business continues to grow at Florida ports
The cargo business is growing at Florida’s ports, according to a new report from the Florida Ports Council. The annual report, which uses 2015 data, shows that state ports moved more than 3.5 million containers than the year before and $49.5 billion of containerized cargo, a $300 million increase from 2014. [Source: Jacksonville Business Journal]
Fate of Florida's voucher program back before court
A Florida appeals court is wading back into a contentious legal battle over the state's largest private school voucher program. The hearing comes nearly a year after Circuit Judge George Reynolds ruled that the groups filing the lawsuit did not have a legal right to challenge the program. [Source: AP]
› iStart Jax switches name to iStart Valley to help startups reach beyond Jacksonville area
It’s been one of the first organizations to showcase Jacksonville area entrepreneurs. Now iStart Jax is going through a name change. It has switched its name to iStart Valley in hopes of having a broader appeal to area startup businesses and potential support partners.
› Lockheed CEO lands on list of well-paid female execs
Men may dominate the list of CEOs of the top 100 companies in numbers. But the few women on the list get paid well, comparatively speaking, according a new study.
› Fort Lauderdale lawsuit has echoes of Sarasota boom
Fort Lauderdale highrise developer Richard Zipes has sued The Kolter Group. If those names sound familiar to Southwest Florida residents, they should.
› 10 biggest issues facing Florida public companies
Florida public companies are no different from other public companies — or are they? For one thing, most are in the “middle market” — mid- and small caps — and face many of the same challenges bigger companies face, but without the same resources.
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