Fed Beige Book: Most districts report slight to modest growth

The U.S. Federal Reserve has released its Beige Book, a report on economic conditions in its 12 districts. The following is a summary of the findings: - Seven of the 12 districts reported slight to modest growth in economic activity, a decrease from the nine districts that did so in the January survey. - Some districts showed weakness due to economic uncertainty, increased price sensitivity, and reduced spending by low-income households. - Employment remained stable overall. Some businesses have adopted artificial intelligence (AI) and automation technologies to improve efficiency. - Regarding inflation, businesses generally expected the pace of price increases to slow somewhat in the short term.