Florida Economy

Former Labor Secretary Tom Perez takes shots at Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis while discussing jobs, immigration and the billions of dollars for infrastructure projects made available statewide.

As California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis prepare to debate on Fox News, many factors separate their two states, including their ideological leanings and their voting patterns.

John Horne owns five restaurants, including several Anna Maria Oyster Bar locations. He discussed the changes he's seen in his 40 years in the industry, and the impact Florida's economy is having on it.

The six-part series will examine how Florida's population boom has impacted areas including the economy, politics, and transportation.

Despite plenty of dire forecasts for the economy this year, there has been no recession. And Florida’s economy has been a growing bright spot. Yet, inflation remains stubbornly higher than the rest of the nation.

Cargo traffic at Florida’s 16 seaports is slightly ahead of pre-pandemic numbers, while the cruise industry is expected to return to pre-pandemic passenger counts this year.

The Florida Sports Foundation estimates pro sports account for more than 50,000 jobs around the state.

A new forecast released earlier this month by the Institute for Economic Forecasting at the University of Central Florida also says housing starts in the state will pick up.

A survey finds that residents are feeling more confident in their personal finances than they were just a month ago.

While many Floridians in the hospitality, tourism, and related fields are struggling financially during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are some positive signs for a recovery in sectors like health care, computer technology, and construction.

Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is traveling the state visiting restaurants and their owners to push for COVID-19 liability protections for small businesses.

The U.S. Department of Labor estimated Thursday that 35,960 initial unemployment claims were filed in Florida during the week that ended Oct. 17, down from 47,904 the prior week and 42,306 during the week that ended Oct. 3.