Fed Beige Book: Economic activity up slightly, manufacturing unchanged

The report said activity in the manufacturing sector was largely unchanged, adding that “supply bottlenecks normalized further.”

The report noted a slight increase in steel demand in the Chicago district, “in part because of a rebound in auto production following the UAW strike.” Additionally, steel orders for industrial buildings remained solid.

Some contacts in the Cleveland district “indicated that seasonal patterns and customer demand were less predictable than those prior to the pandemic, and one manufacturer explained that ‘erratic [customer] demand’ was ‘part of the post-Covid landscape.’”

Of note, the report said: “Ongoing shipping disruptions in the Red Sea and Panama Canal did not generally have a notable impact on businesses during the reporting period, although some contacts reported rising pressures on international shipping costs.”

While commercial real estate activity was said to be weak, some districts saw strong demand for new data centers, industrial and manufacturing spaces, and large infrastructure projects.

Moderating mortgage rates caused an uptick in residential real estate demand, but low inventories hampered actual home sales in the period.

Nearly all districts reported improvement in labor availability and employee retention, with employment rising at a slight-to-modest pace.

“Price pressures persisted during the reporting period, but several districts reported some degree of moderation in inflation,” the report said, noting a decline in the cost of manufacturing and construction inputs, including steel, in recent weeks.

There are expectations for more robust demand and less restrictive financial conditions over the next 6-12 months, the report noted.