Federal Reserve Beige Book gives the greenlight to further rate cuts

Economic activity changed little on balance since the previous report, with three Districts reporting slight to modest growth in activity, five reporting no change, and four noting a slight softening. Overall consumer spending, particularly on retail goods, inched down in recent weeks, although auto sales were boosted in some Districts by strong demand for electric vehicles ahead of the expiration of a federal tax credit at the end of September. Demand for leisure and hospitality services by international travelers fell further over the reporting period, while demand by domestic consumers was largely unchanged. Nevertheless, spending by higher-income individuals on luxury travel and accommodation was reportedly strong. Several reports highlighted that lower- and middle-income households continued to seek discounts and promotions in the face of rising prices and elevated economic uncertainty. Manufacturing activity varied by District, and most reports noted challenging conditions due to higher tariffs and waning overall demand. Activity in agriculture, energy, and transportation was generally down among reporting Districts. Conditions in the financial services sector and other interest rate-sensitive sectors, such as residential and commercial real estate, were mixed; some reports noted improved business lending in recent weeks due to lower interest rates, while other reports continued to highlight muted activity. The outlook for future economic growth varied by District and sector. Sentiment reportedly improved in a few Districts, with some contacts expecting an uptick in demand over the next 6 to 12 months. However, many others continued to expect elevated uncertainty to weigh down activity. One District report highlighted the downside risk to growth from a prolonged government shutdown. Fed Beige Book Said Overall Economic Activity Was Little Changed; Three Districts Saw Modest Growth, Five Were Flat, And Four Reported Slight Softening Fed Beige Book: Wages grew across all reporting distrcts. MORE FED'S BEIGE BOOK: 'EMPLOYMENT LEVELS 'LARGELY STABLE;' DEMAND FOR LABOR 'LARGELY MUTED;' WAGES UP 'AT MODEST TO MODERATE PACE' #BeigeBk #FederalReserve #economy

President Donald Trump’s tariffs are pushing inflation generally higher as companies are caught between absorbing the costs or passing them onto customers, according to a Federal Reserve report Wednesday. The central bank’s periodic Beige Book report, published eight times a year generally at about six-week intervals, categorized overall economic growth as ...

US Treasury Secretary Bessent urges the world bank to end support for China. Statement from U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent for the World Bank Development Committee and IMF International Monetary and Financial Comm As we convene for this year’s Annual Meetings, the United States looks forward to working closely with partners around the world to confront today’s global economic challenges and secure a future underpinned by growth and stability. Achieving success will require collaboration with international financial institutions that are highly effective, efficient, and accountable in implementing their core mandates. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank can support America’s efforts to secure a more balanced, prosperous, and stable global economy through a return to their core missions and disciplined deployment of their resources. We have seen some progress towards these goals since the Spring Meetings. The IMF is folding its climate and gender units into one that is focused on macro-financial and structural policies, and management has eliminated extraneous, non-core issues from its Board Work Program. The World Bank has moved in the direction of an all-of-the-above approach to energy by removing its prohibition on the financing of nuclear power generation. And, the Bank has increased the weight given to quality in procurement decision making and boosted outreach to industry, both of which stand to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its financing. Nonetheless, the IMF and World Bank must take more concerted steps to focus on their respective core missions and deliver greater impact to the countries they support and greater value to taxpayers from the United States and other shareholders. Here in the United States, we have been implementing President Trump’s America First economic agenda of tax cuts, energy abundance, and regulatory modernization. They are interlocking parts of an engine designed to drive economic growth and domestic manufacturing: tax cuts raise real incomes for families and businesses; an affordable, reliable, and secure energy supply drives down the cost of doing business; and regulatory modernization complements both by making it easier to invest in and grow new businesses. This includes passing landmark tax legislation in July to unleash the full potential of the U.S. economy, to protect American workers and families, and to save taxpayer dollars by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse. Thanks to actions taken by the Trump Administration, businesses are investing in America again. A revitalized private sector will propel econom