Small business confidence hits new two-year low

Small business confidence fell to a fresh two-year low in March amid persistent worries about sales and profits, the latest indication that economic growth braked sharply in the first quarter. More from Reuters and Investor's Business Daily.

Why most Americans interested in traveling to Cuba are not Floridians

Those most interested in visiting Cuba live in places you might not expect. A survey of Google searches between March 1, 2015 and Feb. 29, 2016 reveals that travelers from New England surpass those from Florida in Google searches about Cuba travel. [Source: Miami Herald]

See also:
» Costa Rica says its doors are closed to Cubans
» Emotions run high on idea of Cuban consulate in Miami Beach

Expected spring run-up in gas prices stalls

So much for a spring run-up in gas prices, at least for the time being. Declines in the cost of oil led to a drop in prices at the pump. In Florida, that's been a phenomenon for 11 consecutive days. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and the Gainesville Sun.

Can I trust my robot? Can my robot trust me?

If we are serious about long-term human presence in space, such as manned bases on the moon or Mars, we must figure out how to streamline human-robot interactions. [Source: UF News]

US women earn almost $500,000 less than men over working life

What's the individual damage from gender inequality in the workplace? For the average U.S. woman it's more than $430,000 over the course of her career, according to an analysis by the National Women's Law Center, a nonprofit advocacy group. More from Bloomberg and WFTV.

See also:
» Equal Pay Day shines light on pay disparity between men and women
» How the Tech Industry's Women Problem Is Advancing Paid Family Leave

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Hertz falls after trimming revenue outlook on price pressure [Bloomberg]
Hertz Global Holdings Inc. fell the most in more than six weeks after the company lowered its forecasts for U.S. rental-car revenue because an oversupply of vehicles is pressuring its prices.

› Florida to crack down on cobras [Florida Today]
After a couple cobras flew the coop late last year, Florida wildlife officials decided to take another look at how to prevent deadly reptiles from slithering loose with potentially fatal consequences.

› Disney seeks money-making opportunities with premium services at its theme parks [Orlando Sentinel]
Disney has long taken a different approach from other parks including rival Universal Orlando, which has add-on charges for parking at hotels, preferred parking for the theme parks and express front-of-the-line passes.

› UF looks for ‘transformational’ ways to marry campus, city [Gainesville Sun]
The University of Florida will spend a healthy amount of money and the rest of this year on a plan that weaves together the long-term future growth of the university and the Gainesville area.

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› Spring Black Friday draws consumers to home-improvement stores [Tampa Bay Times]
Similar to Black Friday in November for other retailers, spring is when hardware and home-improvement stores hire extra help, stock up on extra merchandise and come up with doorbuster deals inside the stores and online.

› Invictus Games empower wounded warriors [Orlando Sentinel]
Invictus Games, an international competition of wounded warriors, was founded by Prince Harry in 2014. This year's Games are set from May 8-12 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World.

› Mayor-Elect’s Plans for Gainesville’s Future [Gainesville Business Report]
Mayor-elect Lauren Poe plans to focus on economic growth, transportation, open government and education as he rolls into his new job.

› For South Florida, a rocky start for 2016 trade [Miami Herald]
Here’s how bad it is: First, after an unprecedented three consecutive years of falling trade, this year South Florida’s trade with the world is down 10.6 percent, according to data released last week.