Friday's Afternoon Update
U.S. economy regains all jobs lost in recession
Employers added 217,000 jobs in May as the labor market continued to post strong gains after a harsh winter dampened economic growth early this year. The unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.3%, the Labor Department said Friday. More at USA Today, the Washington Post and Forbes.
Florida ranks 2nd in the U.S. for maritime jobs
Florida ranks second among all states in domestic maritime jobs, according to a new study by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for the Transportation Institute and released by the American Maritime Partnership (AMP), the voice of the U.S. domestic maritime industry. More at Marinelink.
UCF unveils new downtown video game incubator
UCF graduates pursuing video game development careers will soon have an incubator to work in. University officials said Friday morning that its new incubator will open this fall at UCF’s Center for Emerging Media. More at the Orlando Sentinel.
Brazil finds bumpy path on way to becoming world oil power
Brazil’s efforts to become one of the world’s major oil producers have attracted businesses such as U.S. drilling giants Halliburton and Baker Hughes, and drawn investment dollars from American pension funds in Florida, South Carolina and California. More at the Miami Herald.
Preventing a subprime small business bubble
According to recent estimates, the subprime business loan market has grown to over $3 billion a year. Some worry that the growth of subprime business loans, which often carry interest rates above 100%, could portend another financial crisis. More at American Banker.