Things To Do In SW Florida

By Erik Wasson and Steven T. Dennis, Bloomberg News

The Republican-controlled Congress has been very good to most of corporate America this year. Foremost among the boons is a $4 trillion tax cut package that extended and added generous breaks for businesses large and small.

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But it hasn’t been all good news for U.S. companies and some industries have benefited more than others. The legislative branch’s acquiescence to President Donald Trump’s sharp tariff increases raised input costs across the economy and provoked retaliatory moves against U.S. farm exports. read more

With plans to launch the massive Starship from Florida next year, SpaceX defended its commitment to airspace safety after a Wall Street Journal article claimed an explosive mission in early 2025 was a greater danger to some flights than previously reported.

The article published Saturday cited Federal Aviation Administration documents that stated debris from the Jan. 16 launch from SpaceX’s Texas site Starbase, which led to the upper stage disintegrating on its flight path, threatened three airplane flights. The debris field could be seen from Florida, the Bahamas and several Caribbean islands as the broken-up spacecraft streaked across the sky.

The article says the incident forced a JetBlue flight to Puerto Rico to adjust its flight path into a holding pattern, while a private jet and an international Iberia Airlines flight were under fuel emergencies and ventured into the FAA’s keep-out zones.

A similar Starship explosion occurred during a March launch attempt from Texas that shut down air traffic to several Florida airports, including Orlando International Airport. read more

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO

NEW YORK (AP) — Consumers stepped up gift giving during the first seven weeks of the holiday shopping season, according to new data released Tuesday. But uncertainty about the economy is making shoppers more targeted in their buying.

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  US stocks rose again in 2025 after overcoming turbulence from tariffs and Trump’s fight with the Fed

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  Consumer confidence slides in December to lowest level since US tariffs rolled out in April

From Nov. 1 through Sunday, cash and credit card sales rose 4.2%, which is less than the 4.8% increase during the same period a year ago, according to Visa’s Consulting & Analytics division.

The data, which exclude sales from auto dealerships, gas stations, and restaurants, are not adjusted for inflation or the impact from President Donald Trump’s tariffs. read more

By STAN CHOE

NEW YORK (AP) — It was a scary good year for investors.

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  Consumer confidence slides in December to lowest level since US tariffs rolled out in April

It was scary because the U.S. stock market plunged to several historic drops on worries about everything from President Donald Trump’s tariffs to interest rates to a possible bubble in artificial-intelligence technology. In the end, though, it was a great year for anyone with the stomach to stick through the swings.

S&P 500 index funds, which sit at the heart of many savers’ 401(k) accounts, returned more than 18% in 2025 through Dec. 11 and set a record high that day. It’s their third straight year of big returns. read more

By MATT OTT, Associated Press Business Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumers confidence in the economy was shaken in December as Americans grow anxious about high prices and the impact of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs.

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The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell 3.8 points to 89.1 in December from November’s upwardly revised reading of 92.9. That is close to the 85.7 reading from April, when Trump rolled out his import taxes on U.S. trading partners.

A measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for their income, business conditions and the job market remained stable at 70.7, but still well below 80, the marker that can signal a recession ahead. It was the 11th consecutive month that reading has come in under 80. read more