Business briefs: Port Manatee increases container cargo; Star2Star wins award; jobless apps, mortgage rates fall

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PORT MANATEE -- Port Manatee is reporting a 36 percent year-over-year increase in containerized cargo handled in the first half of its fiscal year.

During the six-month period from Oct. 1, 2015, through March 31, Port Manatee docks saw moves of 12,653 20-foot-equivalent container units, or TEUs, up from 9,321 TEUs from the same period during the previous fiscal year. Import TEUs led the way, increasing 40 percent, to 7,398 TEUs from 5,291 TEUs.

The increase comes on the heels of an 83 percent rise in TEUs handled in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2015, compared with the preceding fiscal year.

In the same six months, Port Manatee handled 3.31 million tons of cargo, up 5.7 percent from 3.13 million tons a year earlier. The increase was propelled by the handling of additional project cargos and substantial gains in the liquid bulk sector, including diesel, gasoline, ethanol and asphalt.

Star2Star wins industry Visionary Spotlight award

MANATEE -- Communications technology manufacturer Star2Star Communications announced this week that it is the winner of the 2016 Visionary Spotlight Awards. This is the company's second consecutive win.

The Visionary Spotlight Awards competition honors products, services and deployments across a broad range of communications technology categories. Star2Star was honored for the company's outstanding Channel Program.

Founded in 2006 in Sarasota, Star2Star has won numerous awards. In the past five years, it has been named to the Forbes Most Promising Companies list, the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 three times, and the Inc. 500|5000 five times. The company's products are sold through a diversified network of partners that includes distributors, master agents, managed service providers and certified installing dealers.

Applications for jobless aid fall to 267,000

WASHINGTON -- Fewer Americans sought unemployment aid last week, evidence that employers are holding onto their workers despite signs of weak growth.

Applications for U.S. jobless benefits fell 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 267,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. The four-week average, a less-volatile figure, rose 3,500 to 266,750. The number of people receiving benefits was mostly unchanged at 2.19 million.

U.S. 30-year mortgage rate falls to 3.59 percent

WASHINGTON -- Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates slid this week to their lowest level since February 2015, luring prospective purchasers during the spring home-buying season.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage fell to 3.59 percent from 3.71 percent last week. The benchmark rate was far below the 3.66 percent level it marked a year ago.

The average rate on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages declined to 2.88 percent from 2.98 percent last week.

-- Herald staff, wire reports

This story was originally published April 7, 2016 at 11:41 PM with the headline "Business briefs: Port Manatee increases container cargo; Star2Star wins award; jobless apps, mortgage rates fall ."