TheBeigeBook SummaryofCommentaryonCurrentEconomicConditionsbyFederalReserveDistrict May2025 FEDERALRESERVESYSTEM i Contents AboutThisPublicationii NationalSummary1 FederalReserveBankofBoston5 FederalReserveBankofNewYork8 FederalReserveBankofPhiladelphia12 FederalReserveBankofCleveland16 FederalReserveBankofRichmond20 FederalReserveBankofAtlanta23 FederalReserveBankofChicago27 FederalReserveBankofSt.Louis31 FederalReserveBankofMinneapolis34 FederalReserveBankofKansasCity38 FederalReserveBankofDallas42 FederalReserveBankofSanFrancisco46 ii AboutThisPublication WhatistheBeigeBook? TheBeigeBookisaFederalReserveSystempublicationaboutcurrenteconomicconditionsacrossthe12FederalReserveDistricts.Itcharacterizesregionaleconomicconditionsandpros-pectsbasedonavarietyofmostlyqualitativeinformation,gathereddirectlyfromeachDistrict’ssources.Reportsarepublishedeighttimesperyear. WhatisthepurposeoftheBeigeBook? TheBeigeBookisintendedtocharacterizethechangeineconomicconditionssincethelastreport.OutreachfortheBeigeBookisoneofmanywaystheFederalReserveSystemengageswithbusinessesandotherorganizationsabouteconomicdevelopmentsintheircommunities.Becausethisinformationiscollectedfromawiderangeofcontactsthroughavarietyofformalandinformalmethods,theBeigeBookcancomplementotherformsofregionalinformationgath-ering.TheBeigeBookisnotacommentaryontheviewsofFederalReserveofficials. Howistheinformationcollected? EachFederalReserveBankgathersinformationoncurrenteconomicconditionsinitsDistrictthroughreportsfromBankandBranchdirectors,plusinterviewsandonlinequestionnairescom-pletedbybusinesses,communityorganizations,economists,marketexperts,andothersources.Contactsarenotselectedatrandom;rather,Banksstrivetocurateadiversesetofsourcesthatcanprovideaccurateandobjectiveinformationaboutabroadrangeofeconomicactivities.TheBeigeBookservesasaregularsummaryofthisinformationforthepublic. Howistheinformationused? TheinformationfromcontactssupplementsthedataandanalysisusedbyFederalReserveecono-mistsandstafftoassesseconomicconditionsintheFederalReserveDistricts.ThequalitativenatureoftheBeigeBookcreatesanopportunitytocharacterizedynamicsandidentifyemergingtrendsintheeconomythatmaynotbereadilyapparentintheavailableeconomicdata.Thisinfor- Note:TheFederalReserveofficiallyidentifiesDistrictsbynumberandReserveBankcity.Inthe12thDistrict,theSeattleBranchservesAlaska,andtheSanFranciscoBankservesHawaii.TheSystemservescommonwealthsandterritoriesasfollows:theNewYorkBankservestheCommonwealthofPuertoRicoandtheU.S.VirginIslands;theSanFranciscoBankservesAmericanSamoa,Guam,andtheCommonwealthoftheNorthernMarianaIslands.TheBoardofGovernorsrevisedthebranchboundariesoftheSysteminFebruary1996. mationenablescomparisonofeconomicconditionsindifferentpartsofthecountry,whichcanbehelpfulforassessingtheoutlookforthenationaleconomy. TheBeigeBookdoesnothavethetypeofinformationI’mlookingfor.Whatotherinformationisavailable? TheFederalReserveSystemconductsawidearrayofrecurringsurveysofbusinesses,house-holds,andcommunityorganizations.AlistofstatisticalreleasescompiledbytheFederalReserveBoardisavailablehere,linkstoeachoftheFederalReserveBanksareavailablehere,andasum-maryoftheSystem’scommunityoutreachisavailablehere.Inaddition,FedListenseventshavebeenheldaroundthecountrytohearabouthowmonetarypolicyaffectspeoples’dailylivesandlivelihoods.TheSystemalsoreliesonavarietyofadvisorycouncils—whosemembersaredrawnfromawidearrayofbusinesses,non-profitorganizations,andcommunitygroups—toheardiverseperspectivesontheeconomyincarryingoutitsresponsibilities. NationalSummary OverallEconomicActivity ReportsacrossthetwelveFederalReserveDistrictsindicatethateconomicactivityhasdeclinedslightlysincethepreviousreport.HalfoftheDistrictsreportedslighttomoderatedeclinesinactivity,threeDistrictsreportednochange,andthreeDistrictsreportedslightgrowth.AllDistrictsreportedelevatedlevelsofeconomicandpolicyuncertainty,whichhaveledtohesitancyandacautiousapproachtobusinessandhouseholddecisions.Manufacturingactivitydeclinedslightly.Consumerspendingreportsweremixed,withmostDistrictsreportingslightdeclinesornochange;however,someDistrictsreportedincreasesinspendingonitemsexpectedtobeaffectedbytariffs.Residentialrealestatesaleswerelittlechanged,andmostDistrictreportsonnewhomeconstructionindicateflatorslowingconstructionactivity.Reportsonbankloandemandandcapitalspendingplansweremixed.Activityatportswasrobust,whilereportsontransportationandwarehouseactivityinotherareasweremixed.Onbalance,theoutlookremainsslightlypessi-misticanduncertain,unchangedrelativetothepreviousreport.However,afewDistrictreportsindicatetheoutlookhasdeterioratedwhileafewothersindicatetheoutlookhasimproved. LaborMarkets Employmenthasbeenlittlechangedsincethepreviousreport.MostDistrictsdescribedemploy-mentasflat,threeDistrictsreportedslight-to-modestincreases,andtwoDistrictsreportedslightdeclines.ManyDistrictsreportedloweremployeeturnoverratesandmoreapplicantsforopenpositions.Commentsaboutuncertaintydelayinghiringwerewidespread.AllDistrictsdescribedlowerlabordemand,cit