The Beige Book is prepared at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia as is designed to gauge economic activity across various regions of the U.S. The recent (September 3rd, 2014) update shows broad economic growth with a few exceptions in construction, agriculture and wage pressure. Higher growth rates were experienced in Philadelphia, Atlanta, St. Louis, and Kansas City while moderate growth was experienced in New York, Cleveland, Chicago, Minneapolis, Dallas, and San Francisco. Consumer Spending and Tourism: Improvements in consumer spending. Auto sales were raising and nearly every district experienced improvements in tourism. Nonfinancial Services: Strong growth in professional and technology services with moderate growth in freight shipment. Manufacturing: Moderate growth in manufacturing throughout most regions with increasing demand for steel. Real Estate and Construction: A mixed bag with some regions showing moderate growth and others stagnati
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