Unemployment rate increases for fourth straight month in Florida
Florida’s unemployment rate ticked up for the fourth straight month in April. The jobless rate increased to 4.8% last month, according to FloridaCommerce, the state’s economic development bureau. That’s a slight increase over the March figure of 4.7%. The increase is part of a recent trend in Florida, as every month in 2026 has seen a jump in the jobless figure. Another stark development this year: Florida posted a higher unemployment rate than the national figure for the first time in about five years. More from Florida Politics.
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» Column: Florida’s unemployment problem is getting harder to ignore
Italian space company opens U.S. HQ, manufacturing facility in Melbourne
A growing Italian space company has established a foothold on Florida's Space Coast, opening a facility to process and produce small-scale satellites ranging in size from briefcases to large microwave ovens. Argotec hosted an April grand-opening ceremony of its new U.S. headquarters and manufacturing base inside a North Drive industrial park in Melbourne. The goal: expand in America's space market while boosting Argotec's brand. More from Florida Today.
Miami cracks into the top 20 global ecosystems in new ranking
This just in: Miami is a top 20 startup ecosystem in the world. That’s according to a new report by Dealroom, a data platform that maps the world’s tech ecosystems. Dealroom analyzed data from 325 qualifying cities and metro areas across more than 77 countries to come up with its ranking. More from Refresh Miami.
Dunedin eyes fire fee as Tallahassee targets property taxes
With the state Legislature considering elimination of property taxes, Dunedin city commissioners agreed May 19 to study a fire assessment that would charge homes and businesses for fire protection. The special assessment could replace as much as $9 million in property tax revenue the city stands to lose under a bill that has cleared the Florida House but not the Senate, City Manager Jennifer Bramley told commissioners. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Otto Aerospace releases Cecil Airport campus renderings
Otto Aerospace, the Texas-based aircraft manufacturer that plans to move to Jacksonville, has released renderings of its planned Cecil Airport campus. Jacksonville Aviation Authority staff presented renderings of two new buildings and three hangars at the May 27 JAA board meeting. Otto is developing a business jet, the Phantom 3500, that completed preliminary design review in February. More from the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Out of the Box
Pass go: Monopoly to make special Sarasota County edition
The monopoly man is on his way to Sarasota County, and local residents and visitors are invited to help make the special edition of the game truly local. Monopoly: Sarasota County Edition is tipping its top hat to favorite county locations by seeking nominations of established businesses, nonprofits and landmarks to replace squares from Mediterranean Avenue to Boardwalk.
» More from the Business Observer.
Florida Trend Exclusive
The 'Voice of Wall Street' speaks
Jamie Dimon, 70, has been CEO of JPMorgan Chase for 20 years and has no plans to retire just yet. The bank's $777-billion market value makes it the biggest bank in the world — larger than Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Citigroup, its three main competitors, combined. Dimon recently sat down with Florida Trend for an interview as JPMorgan Chase continues to aggressively expand its footprint in Florida.
» Read more from Florida Trend.