The Federal Reserve just released its latest Beige Book report.
The report showed that for the second straight time, economic activity expanded in all twelve districts.
Manufacturing reports were mixed, while consumer spending grew in most districts at rates ranging from slight to moderate, with few changes since the last report.
Overall, loan demand rose in eight of the twelve districts, while credit standards were largely unchanged and six districts reported improving credit quality, falling delinquency rates, or both.
Here's the full text from the Federal Reserve:
Reports from the twelve Federal Reserve Districts indicated that economic activity has expanded since the previous Beige Book report; however, none of the Districts pointed to a distinct shift in the overall pace of growth. The New York, Cleveland, Chicago, Minneapolis, Dallas, and San Francisco Districts characterized their growth rates as moderate; Philadelphia, Atlanta, St. Louis, and Kansas City reported modest growth. Boston reported that business activity appeared to be improving, and Richmond reported further strengthening. Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Kansas City, and Dallas explicitly reported that contacts in their Districts generally remained optimistic about future growth; most of the other Districts cited various examples of ongoing optimism from specific sectors.
General consumer spending grew in most Districts at rates ranging from slight to moderate, with few changes in the pace of growth compared with the last Beige Book. Most Districts reported a continued expansion of auto sales, noting record-high levels for several markets within the Philadelphia and Dallas Districts; however, in some parts of the New York and Philadelphia Districts sales began to fall back from their relatively high levels. Tourism activity was reported to have increased across much of the nation, with many Districts reporting higher hotel booking and occupancy rates.
Activity among nonfinancial service sectors improved overall. District reports on manufacturing were mixed--divided almost evenly into one of three characterizations of the sector's activity: expanding, contracting, or unchanged. Among Districts reporting on their firms' near-term expectations, the manufacturing outlook remained generally upbeat, with New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, and Atlanta reporting increased optimism.
Since the previous Beige Book, residential real estate activity, particularly sales of existing homes and construction of new homes, generally expanded or held steady in about half of the Districts. About half of the Districts also reported some growth in construction and in sales or leasing of nonresidential properties.
Overall, loan demand rose in eight Districts and held steady in one. Credit standards were largely unchanged. Six Districts reported improving credit quality, falling delinquency rates, or both.
Reports regarding farm products were mixed; for some crops, high anticipated harvests have put downward pressure on prices and expected farm incomes. Generally, oil and gas production and demand for related activities continued to edge up from already high levels, while total coal production mostly held steady.
Trends in employment, wages, and prices were relatively unchanged in the Federal Reserve Districts, with greater wage pressures reported in sectors where shortages of skilled labor persisted.
Consumer Spending and Tourism
Most Districts reported some growth in consumer spending with a pace of growth characterized as ranging from slight to moderate. Compared with the last Beige Book, the Chicago District noted a pickup in growth; Philadelphia indicated somewhat slower growth; and merchants in the Atlanta District reported that sales had weakened slightly. San Francisco contacts suggested that consumers appeared more optimistic about the recovery, New York reported mixed consumer confidence, and Cleveland and Richmond indicated that consumers were being conservative in their discretionary spending. Strong sales were noted for clothing and apparel in Boston and Chicago; household and home improvement categories in Boston and Kansas City; electronics in San Francisco; and back-to-school items in New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Atlanta, and Dallas. Cleveland also noted that some retailers have seen a significant rise in online shopping.
Since the previous Beige Book, auto industry contacts in most reporting Districts have noted continued expansion, with sales at high levels. In the Philadelphia District, Pennsylvania dealers claimed statewide record auto sales in July, as did an auto dealer in Dallas. However, sales in Pennsylvania began to back off their highs in August. Likewise, New York reported mixed results from some upstate auto dealers. Cleveland, Chicago, Kansas City, and San Francisco noted increased sales of SUVs and pickup trucks. Some Cleveland contacts attributed rising truck sales to a stronger construction industry, while contacts in San Francisco cited a decline in fuel prices as a factor. Inventory levels were mixed among reporting Districts, declining slightly in Kansas City, remaining at or above desired levels in St. Louis, and building up in Cleveland.
Tourism activity increased in all reporting Districts. Hotel occupancy rates remained high or rose in the Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Atlanta, and San Francisco Districts. San Francisco reported that strength in visitor volume in Las Vegas was due more to convention attendance than to tourism, and Richmond cited group bookings for business and reunion events as sources of strength. Most reporting Districts indicated optimism about future activity levels, with Boston, Richmond, and San Francisco reporting strong advance hotel bookings through the fall.
Nonfinancial Services
On balance, nonfinancial services have grown since the previous Beige Book. The Boston District reported strong demand for software and information technology services, with contacts attributing this strength to continued economic recovery and robust demand for software products. New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco firms reported moderate growth, and providers of professional business services in Minneapolis reported increased activity. Richmond, St. Louis, and Dallas reported modest growth in services, and Kansas City reported stable sales growth for professional and high-tech services firms. Conditions for staffing services were generally positive across reporting Districts. Staffing activity generally increased in Boston, and staffing contacts in Philadelphia noted increases in new clients and firms hiring to grow their businesses. Dallas reported mixed demand from staffing firms, noting strength in engineering, information technology, and health-care positions but flat demand for legal services.
Districts reporting on transportation services generally noted growth. Cleveland, Atlanta, and Dallas reported moderate to strong freight volumes. Richmond contacts attributed some recent growth in port activity to ships diverted from West Coast ports and to an early arrival of the peak import season. Kansas City transportation firms reported stable sales growth and continued high demand for construction products. Cleveland noted that amid broad-based demand strength, shipments of consumer durables and energy-related commodities and materials stood out. Dallas cited notable growth in shipping volumes for steel. Contacts from New York, Cleveland, and Atlanta mentioned driver shortages or difficulties finding qualified drivers, and contacts in Cleveland, Richmond, and Atlanta noted concerns about capacity for various types of transportation.
Manufacturing
Since the last Beige Book period, the Cleveland, Richmond, and Dallas Districts reported that manufacturing activity has expanded; New York, Atlanta, Minneapolis, and Kansas City indicated that their growth rates had moderated somewhat. San Francisco cited mixed reports from a variety of contacts. Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago reported continued growth.
Within manufacturing, growth was reported across a broad base of sectors. Increases in auto production or derived demand for steel and other related products were cited by Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago, and Dallas. San Francisco cited increases in steel capacity utilization over recent months. Cleveland cited slightly lower steel shipments because of seasonal factors but indicated underlying demand was strong. Construction was cited as a source of increased demand by manufacturing contacts in the Philadelphia, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Kansas City Districts. Chicago reported that demand for heavy machinery picked up some on net, as higher demand for construction machinery overshadowed weakness for agricultural and mining machinery. Firms in the Boston District reported strengthening demand for semiconductors, while San Francisco reported that demand for semiconductors strengthened in part because of robust orders from other countries. With the exception of motor vehicle producers, manufacturers in the Atlanta District generally reported weakness in new orders and shipments. Manufacturing associated with the energy sector was cited as a continued source of growth by Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Dallas.
Contacts in most Districts expressed optimism about the near-term outlook for manufacturing growth. Moreover, in the New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, and Atlanta Districts, optimism reportedly increased in comparison with the previous reporting period. Boston and Cleveland reported that current capital spending is roughly in line with earlier plans. Kansas City indicated slightly diminished capital spending plans, but the outlook remained solidly positive across contacts.
Real Estate and Construction
Barely half of the Districts reported stable or growing residential real estate activity related to the construction of new homes and sales of existing houses. New construction and existing home sales generally grew modestly; market conditions tended to vary by metropolitan area and by neighborhood within metropolitan areas. Boston, New York, and Dallas reported high levels of ongoing multifamily construction projects; Chicago reported a moderate pace of growth, and San Francisco noted a pickup in activity.
A little over half of the Districts reported some degree of growth in nonresidential real estate activity, with increased construction, leasing, or both tied to steady or falling vacancy rates and to rent increases. None of the Districts reported a decline in overall activity, although New York and St. Louis described activity as mixed. In addition to traditional office space, certain Districts reported increased demand for specific projects: Boston noted demand for construction in the hospitality sector, Philadelphia cited industrial and warehouse projects, Richmond noted distribution centers, and St. Louis reported new retail and mixed-use projects as well as new industrial facility construction.
Banking and Finance
Overall, banking conditions continued to improve from the prior Beige Book period. Loan volumes increased in nearly all reporting Districts, led by moderate gains in the San Francisco District and modest gains in Chicago. Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Dallas noted slight gains; Kansas City reported steady demand. Lending volumes rose in Richmond and appeared to increase, on net, in New York and Cleveland.
Auto lending was the category most often cited as growing. The Cleveland and Atlanta Districts reported very strong auto loan demand, while Philadelphia, Richmond, Chicago, St. Louis, and San Francisco also noted growth in this category. In addition, Philadelphia, Chicago, and St. Louis reported growth in credit card borrowing. San Francisco also noted a slight increase in unsecured consumer credit. New York and Cleveland reported that overall consumer loans had leveled off, while consumer installment loans were described as somewhat softer in the Kansas City District. Philadelphia and San Francisco reported increasing usage of home equity lines of credit, while slightly less usage was reported in the Cleveland District.
Demand for business credit expanded in most reporting Districts. Commercial and industrial (C&I) lending increased in the New York, Cleveland, Richmond, Chicago, St. Louis, and Dallas Districts; reports from the Philadelphia District were mixed. Cleveland reported that demand for C&I loans was greatest from manufacturers, energy producers, and health-care providers; Dallas also noted demand related to energy projects. Commercial real estate lending exhibited slight to moderate growth in the New York, Cleveland, Richmond, Chicago, and San Francisco Districts; Philadelphia and Dallas reported no change; and volumes in the Kansas City District decreased slightly.
Demand for residential mortgages was less robust; only the Philadelphia, Richmond, Chicago, and Dallas Districts reported increases (which were typically only slight), and New York, Cleveland, St. Louis, and Kansas City reported no change or slight decreases. Cleveland did note some increase in refinancing loans, as did Richmond; however, New York and Philadelphia reported continued declines in this loan category.
The Philadelphia, Dallas, and San Francisco Districts reported that credit quality improved further, while New York and Cleveland stated that delinquency rates fell across all loan categories. A survey of St. Louis District banks showed improved creditworthiness of applicants and unchanged or slightly lower delinquencies for several loan categories.
Credit standards remained generally unchanged in most Districts. Bankers in the Atlanta District reported that they were well capitalized but remained cautious about residential lending and fiercely competitive over commercial lending. Contacts in the Richmond and San Francisco Districts described intense competition among lenders for customers with high-quality credit. Philadelphia and Cleveland also reported heated competition. However, according to Atlanta District contacts, standards remained especially rigorous for first-time homebuyers.
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Farming contacts in many Districts have reported record-high crop yields, resulting in declines in market prices for cotton, corn, soybeans, and other agricultural commodities. The lower prices have resulted in lower expected incomes for some crop producers while reducing feed costs for some livestock producers. Dallas reported that historically high cattle prices have slowed the efforts of cattle producers to rebuild their herds. Chicago reported that hog and cattle prices have slipped during this Beige Book period; however, higher milk prices have helped the livestock sector stay profitable. Atlanta, Dallas, and San Francisco reported some drought-related disruptions. San Francisco reported higher shipping costs among growers because locomotives were being diverted to the Midwest to haul oil and gas rail cars to refineries in Texas.
Activity in the energy sector was generally positive. Oil and gas production and related activities continued to edge higher from already high levels, and total coal production was mostly steady. The Atlanta, Minneapolis, Kansas City, and Dallas Districts reported modest to brisk growth in activities related to oil production (refining, exploration, drilling, rigging, and oil field and geological services). Producers in the Kansas City District indicated that slightly lower oil prices have not negatively affected drilling plans. In contrast, coal production was reported to be relatively stable in the Cleveland and Richmond Districts; St. Louis pointed to modest growth. Richmond reported a modest decline in coal prices, and Cleveland described spot coal prices as remaining depressed. In addition, Cleveland indicated that activity in the Marcellus and Utica shale fields was continuing relatively unchanged at a high level.
Employment, Wages, and Prices
Labor market conditions, as measured by hiring trends, were reported to be relatively unchanged from generally modest rates in most Districts; however, contacts in nearly all Districts reported difficulties finding certain types of skilled labor. Contacts cited shortages of skilled information technology workers in the Boston District, of truck drivers in New York, and of construction workers in Atlanta. Employment agencies in New York described the job market as strengthening, and some Dallas contacts noted that the labor market remains very tight in the energy sector. Contacts in Cleveland, Richmond, and San Francisco also mentioned challenges finding qualified workers. Staffing contacts in Philadelphia reported that some of their clients are hiring to grow their businesses.
Generally, Districts reported little change in wage pressures, which were commonly characterized as slight or modest. Richmond was an exception, reporting that wage growth slowed in the manufacturing and service sectors. Stronger wage pressure was reported for specific categories of skilled workers. In particular, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and San Francisco noted greater wage pressure for jobs in energy, construction, trucking, manufacturing, engineering, information technology, finance, and health care, among others. Some general contractors in the Cleveland District reported that they have increased wages and upgraded benefit plans as a means of attracting and retaining skilled workers.
Overall, price pressures remained largely unchanged. Input prices were described as modest, stable, or benign in reports from Boston, Cleveland, Atlanta, and Kansas City. Chicago noted that prices fell for corn, soybeans, hogs, and cattle but rose for milk during the current Beige Book period. San Francisco cited higher building supply prices, Minneapolis cited higher prices for some metals, and Chicago noted that energy prices generally remained elevated. Cleveland District contacts in the manufacturing and freight transportation sectors noted some ability to pass higher input prices through to customers with little pushback. By contrast, only a few companies in the Atlanta District noted plans to increase prices over the remainder of the year and expressed confidence that any increases would stick.
First District--Boston
Business activity appears to be improving in the First District. A greater fraction of retail and manufacturing contacts cite year-over-year sales or revenue increases than in the last couple of rounds and outlooks are positive. Software and IT services and staffing firms also report strong and/or increasing activity. Commercial and residential real estate markets are largely unchanged since the last report. While some contacts cite difficulty filling skilled positions, most responding firms are neither adding to nor subtracting from headcounts to any substantial degree. With the exception of staffing firms, respondents say wages are steady. Prices, too, are reported to be steady with very few exceptions.
Retail and Tourism
Retailers contacted for this round report comparable-store sales changes ranging from down 1 percent to up 7 percent year-over-year. Spending on clothing, household items, and home improvement categories is said to be good. Prices remain steady and inventory levels are well controlled. Some selective hiring is planned. These retailers expect to achieve their 2014 goals of low single-digit sales increases. Their outlook for the U.S. economy ranges from "mixed" to an expectation of moderate growth--one retailer characterized its outlook as "neither bullish nor bearish."
Boston-area hotels continue to do very well. Occupancy rates averaged 92 percent in July, and revenues were up 9.5 percent from July 2013, mainly because the average price per room was up. Advance hotel bookings are strong through the fall. Through July, Boston restaurant revenues were up 6.9 percent from January-July 2013. Business travel remains strong and leisure travel is up 2 percent year to date, which contacts indicate is a large increase for this market segment. Year to date through July, traffic at Logan Airport was up 4.5 percent. Contacts expect 2014 travel to best 2012 and 2013 records.
Manufacturing and Related Services
Of the dozen manufacturing firms contacted this cycle, only one reports declining sales and two report exceptionally strong sales growth versus the corresponding period a year earlier. The firm reporting a decline in sales attributes it to an exceptionally strong period a year earlier. One of the companies reporting exceptional growth was a semiconductor manufacturer, with 15 percent year-over-year sales growth in the second quarter; this is considered high even for this highly cyclical business. The other strongly growing company is a computer systems vendor who sells largely to the Defense Department; this contact said that clarity about the Federal budget had released significant new spending. Two firms that sell equipment to semiconductor manufacturers report strengthening sales, but a third is facing a "lull" in orders and expects them to pick up in the first half of 2015.
Only one contact, a manufacturer of semiconductor equipment, reports layoffs over the last year. Of the remainder, one reports a small reduction in headcount, four cite no change, and the rest are increasing employment, although no one reports large-scale hiring. A typical comment came from a maker of electrical equipment, who says their hiring is "cautious." Many firms, including those with strong sales growth, indicate they want to do more with less or "keep headcount growth below sales growth." Firms continue to cite problems finding skilled engineers.
All but one contact indicates that prices are stable on both the selling side and the input side. The exception is a producer of milk products who reports that the price of raw milk increased dramatically on account of increased exports, raising U.S. retail prices of milk products. Half the contacts report declining inventories. The contact in the semiconductor industry with sharply higher sales also reports an increase in orders that they are unable to fill on time or at all; they are increasing capital spending to reduce bottlenecks. Most firms report increased capital spending more or less in line with earlier plans.
Outlooks are positive. Even the semiconductor manufacturing firm that laid off workers in the first half of the year expects strong sales growth in the first half of 2015. A manufacturer of toys has a mixed outlook; this contact says high-priced products are not selling well because consumers are cautious.
Software and Information Technology Services
First District software and information technology services contacts generally report strong demand through August, with year-over-year revenue increases mostly ranging from 7 percent to 20 percent and quarter-over-quarter increases in the mid-single-digits. Contacts attribute this growth to continued macroeconomic recovery, a rebound in the manufacturing sector, and robust demand in the marketplace for software products. By contrast, one contact producing healthcare software reports slight year-over-year decreases in revenues, which he attributes to the expiration of federal stimulus money for health records software. Most firms have added to headcount in the last year, with positions concentrated in sales, research and development, and marketing. Wages are generally flat; however, one firm awarded merit-based increases in the 3 percent to 4 percent range. Selling prices have held constant. Looking forward, while New England software and IT contacts remain concerned about cost implications of the Affordable Care Act, weakness in the Chinese economy, and the overall macroeconomic environment, they continue to be optimistic, expecting a steady rate of growth through the next few months.
Staffing Services
New England staffing contacts generally cite increased activity since their last reports in May. While one firm supplying workers to the healthcare sector saw a dip in billable hours from June to early July, strong growth in July and August is putting them back on track. On a year-over-year basis, revenue growth is in the 4 percent to 20 percent range. Only one contact continues to report year-over-year revenue declines in the New England region, attributed primarily to client mix. Labor demand is reportedly strong in the information technology, software, aerospace, nursing, electronics, and legal industries. Supply is largely unchanged since May, with continued shortages of high-end technical workers such as software developers, Java programmers, computer engineers, mechanical design engineers, and quality assurance managers. Maintenance and ambulatory nursing positions are also reportedly difficult to fill. By contrast, one contact notes that entry-level IT workers are plentiful. To attract high-skilled workers, staffing firms continue to expand their social media outreach efforts and invest in technological innovations such as mobile compatibility and website development. Both bill and pay rates have increased, with one contact expecting continued upward pressure on wages through the coming months. Contacts express concern about increased health insurance costs as a result of the Affordable Care Act and the extent to which they will be able to pass these additional costs on to their client base. Despite this challenge, New England staffing contacts are increasingly optimistic, expecting year-over-year revenue growth in the high-single-digit range in coming months.
Commercial Real Estate
Commercial real estate activity appears mostly steady across the First District. Contacts in Hartford, Portland, and Providence all describe office leasing activity as slow, but the slowness is attributed to typical seasonal patterns. In Providence, lack of suitable industrial space remains a problem in light of healthy demand for space in that sector. In Hartford, interest is expected to be fair-to-strong in a set of downtown commercial structures that were recently (or will soon be) placed for sale, including three well-leased office towers, and there is the sense that an increasing number of owners want to cash in on robust investor demand for commercial real estate. In Portland, retail sector sales and leasing are strong, helped in part by some large national chains that are adding locations in the area, and strong investment demand across property types in recent months has pushed commercial property prices up by 10 percent from a year ago. In Boston, market conditions are largely unchanged since the previous report. Downtown leasing activity held steady, and office leasing demand appears to be strengthening along the Route 128 corridor. However, despite rising profits, most existing firms are not expanding their space needs and some recent lease renewals resulted in reduced footprints. Contacts continue to be impressed by the amount of capital pouring into commercial real estate (as well as into multifamily structures) in the greater Boston area, with prices that reflect highly optimistic expectations. Also in Boston, construction activity remains strong in the hospitality and multifamily sectors, and speculative office construction remains limited.
The outlook is uncertain for Rhode Island, where the outcome of the closely contested gubernatorial election is seen as holding some upside potential for growth in the state via improved business sentiment. Independently, a contact sees a risk of increase in the vacancy rate for class A office space in downtown Providence. In Hartford, economic growth is expected to fall short of the national pace, likely resulting in flat leasing activity, but the commercial real estate lending environment appears to be loosening up some. In Boston, contacts expect moderate economic growth and a continuation of current trends, including strong investor demand. While one Boston contact sees a risk of overbuilding in the hotel and multifamily sectors, the city's office sector is not seen as facing a similar risk.
Residential Real Estate
Closed sales of single-family homes in June were mixed across the First District compared to June 2013. Sales declined in Massachusetts and Vermont, increased in Connecticut and Maine, and remained unchanged in Rhode Island. (Contacts in New Hampshire were unavailable.) Median sales price changes also varied by state, increasing only in Massachusetts, declining in Rhode Island and Vermont, and holding steady in Connecticut and Maine compared to June 2013. For Massachusetts, this is the fifth consecutive month of year-over-year declines in sales of single family homes and for greater Boston it is the sixth consecutive month of year-over-year declines. Contacts in Massachusetts say the ongoing decline in sales and rise in sales price are driven primarily by a shortage of inventory, with little change in consumer demand. Indeed, Massachusetts inventories have been trending down for more than two years on a year-over-year basis and median sales prices have risen for more than a year and a half. With only 5.5 months of supply, Massachusetts was considered a sellers' market in June (a market is considered balanced when 7.5 to 8.5 months of supply are available). By contrast, Maine is experiencing an increase in inventory and contacts are hopeful that availability will keep the fall market strong. Connecticut contacts cite low inventory of starter homes. Respondents in all five states express concern over student debt levels, believing they will continue to weigh on housing markets for the foreseeable future.
Relative to a year earlier, June condominium sales were higher in Maine, Connecticut, and Vermont and lower in Massachusetts. The median condo sales price increased over the same period in three of those four states; in Connecticut, the median sales price was unchanged.
Sentiment in the First District is generally positive, with expectations of continuing improvement. However, multiple contacts say expectations need to realign to a "new market norm." These contacts say that both buyers and sellers in New England housing markets must adjust to price increases that are well below previous high rates and begin to look at a house as shelter rather than as "a piggy bank."
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Second District--New York
The Second District's economy has continued to expand at a moderate pace since the last report. Prices of finished goods and services remain generally steady, while businesses continue to report moderate upward pressure on input prices. Labor market conditions continue to improve: Overall, business contacts report some pickup in hiring, and employment agencies describe the job market as strengthening. Service sector firms report that growth has picked up slightly since the last report, while manufacturers say that growth has moderated somewhat. General merchandise retailers report that sales were mixed in July but improved in early August; auto dealers report that sales were mixed but generally steady. Tourism activity has continued to show strength since the last report. Home sales and rental markets were steady to stronger, with inventories still low but rising. Commercial real estate markets have been mixed. Finally, banks report that household loan demand has leveled off but that demand from commercial borrowers continues to grow; they also note little change in credit standards and ongoing declines in delinquency rates across the board.
Consumer Spending
General merchandise retailers say that sales were roughly on plan since the last report with some improvement noted in recent weeks; selling prices have remained steady overall. One major retail chain indicates that sales improved moderately and were generally on plan in July and thus far in August. Retail contacts in upstate New York note that sales were generally flat in June and July but have picked up in early August, with the pickup attributed to strong back-to-school demand. Most retail contacts portray inventories as being in good shape, though one upstate mall characterizes them as on the high side. Prices are mostly described as steady.
Auto dealers across upstate New York report mixed results. Buffalo area dealers report that new vehicle sales increased in July but that sales of used vehicles remained soft. Conversely, after a strong spring season, Rochester area dealers say that new vehicle sales weakened in July and remained flat in early August. Auto dealers note that both wholesale and retail credit conditions remain in good shape.
Tourism activity has strengthened further since the last report. Business at Broadway theaters continued to show strength in July and the first half of August, with both attendance and overall revenues up roughly 13 percent from a year earlier. Hotel occupancy rates remained elevated in New York City and have picked up across much of upstate New York--in particular, in the Buffalo, Rochester and Albany areas--in July. Consumer confidence in the region was mixed again in July: The Conference Board's survey showed confidence rising to the highest level seen so far this year in the Middle Atlantic region (NY, NJ, PA), whereas Siena College's survey of New York residents shows confidence retreating, after climbing for three straight months.
Construction and Real Estate
The District's housing markets have been mixed but a bit firmer, on balance, since the last report. New York City's rental market has continued to strengthen, with rents rising at a moderately brisk rate, while the city's co-op and condo market has been generally stable. Across much of the District, including New York City, home resale activity has receded somewhat, while the inventory of available homes has risen slightly but remains low; selling prices are flat to up slightly. One homebuilding contact in northern New Jersey notes that the tone of the market is fairly positive for multi-family (mostly rental) construction, and that developers are building more ahead of demand. In contrast, single-family developers are reluctant to build any significant inventories of new homes. A contact in New York City notes that there is a good deal of new development in the pipeline and expects sales and closings to pick up in the months ahead; this contact also sees a good deal of new construction in the planning stage--largely condos in Manhattan and rental apartments in Brooklyn and Queens.
Commercial real estate markets have been mixed since mid-year. Manhattan's office market has continued to tighten, with availability rates slipping to a 5-1/2 year low and rents up 5 percent to 10 percent from a year ago. Across the rest of the region, however, office markets have been stable to slightly softer: in Long Island availability rates have held steady near a 7-year low, whereas in northern New Jersey, Westchester and Fairfield counties, and across upstate New York they have been steady at high levels. Office rents have been steady to up slightly. Industrial markets have been steady across most of the District, though availability rates have edged down in northern New Jersey, and asking rents have risen rapidly in Long Island and particularly in Brooklyn and Queens. Finally, Manhattan's retail vacancy rate has edged up while rents remain flat; in Long Island and northern New Jersey, however, the market for retail space has shown signs of firming slightly.
Other Business Activity
Manufacturing firms in the District report some moderation in growth from the brisk pace noted in the last report, whereas service-sector firms indicate a pickup in growth. Manufacturers express increasingly widespread optimism about the near-term business outlook. Service-sector firms report that increases in input costs remain fairly widespread; among manufacturers, such price pressures increased slightly but remain fairly subdued. The vast majority of both manufacturing and service-sector contacts continue to report that selling prices remain flat.
The labor market has shown further signs of strengthening since the last report. Manufacturers continue to add workers, on balance, and considerably more plan to increase than to reduce staffing levels in the months ahead. A growing proportion of service firms say they are hiring, though there has been little change in the proportion that say they are raising wages. One major New York City employment agency reports that hiring activity has continued to improve gradually, while another reports more widespread strengthening and notes increased wage pressures across the board. A growing proportion of workers are said to be switching jobs for increased pay. One trucking industry analyst reports that the industry is doing well but cites a chronic shortage of drivers and notes that this has intensified somewhat in recent months.
Financial Developments
Since the last report, small to medium-sized banks across the District report increased demand for commercial mortgages and commercial & industrial loans, but they report that demand for consumer loans and residential mortgages has leveled off. Bankers also report that demand for refinancing continues to decline. Credit standards are reported to have tightened for commercial & industrial loans, but remain unchanged across other loan categories. Respondents report no change in spreads of loan rates over cost of funds for their residential mortgage business and a narrowing of spreads for all other loan categories--particularly commercial mortgages. Finally, bankers report a further decrease in delinquency rates in all loan categories, but most notably for consumer loans.Return to top
Third District--Philadelphia
Aggregate business activity in the Third District continued to grow at a modest pace during this current Beige Book period. The most notable changes in growth were reported among several consumer spending categories; these changes may have been triggered by unusually beautiful summer weather that delivered mostly sunny days (thus depressing retail spending but boosting tourism). In particular, contacts at tourist destinations throughout the District reported modest overall growth (greater than the slight growth seen last period) with stronger revenues for hotels, but mixed results for the tourist restaurants and shops. Contacts from nonauto retailers reported slight growth (slower than the modest growth last period), and auto sales decelerated to merely strong growth (from the very strong growth last period).
Service sectors maintained a moderate pace of growth overall, while staffing services continued to rise at a modest pace. Manufacturers also reported an ongoing modest rate of increase in activity. The commercial and residential real estate sectors continued to report slight overall growth during the current Beige Book period, both for construction and for sales and leasing of existing properties. Lending volumes continued to grow slowly over this period, and credit quality continued to improve. Contacts continued to warn of a slight increase in credit risks resulting from heated competition for loans. Overall, contacts reported slight increases in wages, home prices, and general price levels, similar to the paces reported for the previous Beige Book period.
Overall, contacts continued to anticipate moderate growth over the next six months. Generally, more firms expressed greater confidence in the economy and more overall optimism for growth. Several contacts professed relief in the relative absence of any "summer swoon," resulting in a reduced level of uncertainty.
Manufacturing
Overall, Third District manufacturers have continued to report modest increases in new orders and shipments since the last Beige Book with somewhat faster growth in the early part of the seven-week period than in the latter. Gains in activity continued to reflect demand from a broad base of sectors. Contacts specifically mentioned stronger demand from the auto, aerospace, energy, and railroad car sectors. Housing construction and capital spending on equipment and building repair were also mentioned as spurring some growth in new orders. Weak demand was cited from sectors that produce farm equipment, CDs and DVDs, and toys. In general, contacts expressed their belief that overall consumer confidence had improved, as had the confidence of their business customers.
Two-thirds of Third District manufacturing contacts expressed expectations that business conditions would improve during the next six months; none anticipate deterioration. This represents significantly greater optimism than during the last Beige Book period. However, a somewhat larger percentage of firms now expect to reduce employment levels over the next six months, and a somewhat smaller percentage expect to increase their level of capital spending.
Retail
Since the prior Beige Book period, contacts reported slight growth in nonauto retail sales in the Third District overall--somewhat slower than last period's modest pace. Results were mixed throughout the period and among retail types. An operator of area malls reported a pickup in activity in August after a "flattish" July. Growth in activity was greatest for family and back-to-school shopping in areas where schools started early. Apparel sales were boosted by relatively cool August weather that helped to focus shoppers' attention on new fall inventories. An outlets operator reported moderate to strong sales growth for July but that one mid-August weekend was flat. However, the outlets operator stated that this has been "the most positive summer since 2007" and that retailers are not seeing the deep discounting (of up to 50 percent) that was evident last summer. Contacts remain optimistic; one stated that retail health is generally better than it was before the recession. Contract talks for future leases are beginning to look out to 2016. Meanwhile, fewer lease deals are stagnating as more retailers are proceeding with their existing lease plans.
The very strong pace of auto sales reported in the prior Beige Book period appears to have softened to merely strong growth as the current Beige Book period draws to an end in August. In Pennsylvania, July was reported as a record month for statewide auto sales. However, sales appeared to be backing down during the first two weeks of August. One contact suggested that dealers sometimes begin running out of inventory at this time of year. New Jersey contacts reported that year-over-year growth rates of auto sales moderated throughout this Beige Book period, following very high rates reported during the prior Beige Book. Dealers remain very optimistic for continued strong sales levels through 2015.
Finance
Third District financial firms have continued to report slight increases in total loan volume since the last Beige Book. Demand increased most for consumer credit lines, such as credit cards and auto loans. Demand for home mortgages and home equity lines continued to grow, but the gains were slower, and some contacts reported falling demand for refinancing loans. Reports of demand for commercial and industrial loans were mixed. The market for commercial real estate appears to have changed little. Banking contacts generally reported ongoing steady improvement in credit quality and their loan portfolios, but they continued to warn of competition leading to an increase in risk taking. Customers have a "strengthening sense of stability" and greater optimism, according to several banking contacts. In particular, capital spending by businesses has picked up a bit; however, enough caution remains to constrain much new hiring.
Real Estate and Construction
Third District homebuilders have reported little change in sales overall since the last Beige Book period, although results are mixed across the District. A New Jersey builder reported another weak month in July but noted a slight pickup in August. In Pennsylvania, a north-central builder credited shale gas money for prompting greater-than-normal numbers of contract signings in July and August. "First-time homebuyers are nonexistent," according to a south-central homebuilder who reported that this August is worse than last year. Residential real estate brokers reported continued slight improvements in sales this period on a par with the prior Beige Book period at the beginning of this summer season. However, on a year-over-year basis, most major markets remain somewhat weaker. Central Pennsylvania is an exception with slight increases reported for existing homes sales in the Harrisburg area. Declines in the Greater Philadelphia area were smaller than during the last Beige Book period; declines in the Jersey Shore area were greater. A major Philadelphia-area broker expressed little change in activity from the last Beige Book period, reiterating that sales were definitely doing better than they were earlier in the year and that higher-priced homes were selling slowly but all other homes were moving quickly. Brokers remain optimistic for further improvement in 2015.
Nonresidential real estate contacts reported that growth in construction activity and in leasing activity have changed little from the slight pace seen in the previous Beige Book period. Construction activity continues to be greatest for industrial/warehouse building projects, which get snapped up quickly when built on spec. An architecture and engineering firm reported that this has been a good summer. Contacts also reported improved leasing activity in southern New Jersey for small offices as well as industrial buildings. However, firms reported few signs of rents strengthening in most office markets and cited continued weak growth in service-sector employment.
Services
Third District service-sector firms have continued to report moderate growth in activity since the last Beige Book. About one-third of all firms reported increases in new orders and sales. Although fewer firms this period reported increases, many firms reported that their current lull or slowdown is seasonal. Several large service companies reported generally steady growth and a greater sense of economic certainty for themselves and their clients. Some staffing contacts in New Jersey and Pennsylvania reported that they are adding new clients, and that firms are hiring to grow their businesses, not just replacing staff. Staffing firms were upbeat about prospects for the remainder of the year. Over three-fourths of the service-sector contacts reported expectations that growth trends will remain positive over the next six months.
Tourist areas in the District benefited from great weather conditions throughout most of the summer. Accordingly, most contacts reported modest gains overall. For some areas, including the Pennsylvania Dutch area and much of the shore, visitation was up from a year ago. Two Lancaster hotel operators experienced their highest occupancy rates since 2008 and their highest average daily room rates since 2006. A Delaware shore hotel operator had "one of its best Julys ever, and best month of August, too." Traffic was reported as down in Atlantic City because of the struggling casinos, and in a few parts of Ocean County, the rental market is still below pre-Sandy levels; however, most of the southern Jersey Shore communities experienced strong summer bookings. Despite greater numbers of tourists, spending at restaurants and shops in tourist areas continues to be soft as households are watching their overall budget. Tourism contacts remain generally positive regarding prospects for the fall.
Prices and Wages
Overall, Third District contacts reported little change to the steady, slight pace of price level increases, similar to other recent Beige Book periods. Less than one-third of the manufacturing firms reported an increase in their input costs--a smaller fraction than in the prior Beige Book period. The percentage of firms reporting higher prices for their own products also fell. About one-fourth of the service-sector firms reported an increase in prices paid and received--slightly fewer than last period. Auto dealers reported little change in pricing. Brokers continued to report slight overall increases in home prices. Some contacts continued to report tight margins. Several homebuilders reported increasing difficulty finding specialty trade contractors. Overall, contacts among service-sector companies reported little change in labor costs. Generally, contacts reported that hiring remains cautious--occurring when necessary for replacement or for some incremental growth; however, some staffing firms noted more hiring for expansion than during the previous Beige Book period.
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Fourth District--Cleveland
The economy in the Fourth District expanded at a moderate pace during the past six weeks. Manufacturers reported accelerating business activity. Demand for nonresidential construction services strengthened, while purchases of new and existing homes leveled off. New motor vehicle sales grew at a robust pace; retailers and operators of hospitality venues saw higher year-over-year revenues. Since our previous report, coal production and shale gas activity were little changed, freight volume grew at a moderate to strong rate, and the demand for business credit moved higher. Consumer demand for auto loans remains strong.
On net, payrolls showed a mild increase. Many companies would like to add workers, but they are unable to find qualified candidates. Staffing firms reported little change in the number of job openings and placements. Upward pressure on wages is being felt mainly by the construction and freight transport industries. Input and finished goods prices were stable, apart from increases for metals, agricultural products, and diesel fuel, and a decline in coal prices.
Manufacturing
Reports from District factories indicated that new orders and production grew at a moderate pace since the latter part of the second quarter. Companies seeing the strongest demand are linked to the food, motor vehicle, and oil and gas industries. A few manufacturers attributed stronger demand to customers completing inventory adjustments. Year-over-year revenues are generally higher. Our contacts are optimistic in their outlook, with a majority projecting strong demand for the remainder of the year. Steel shipments dipped slightly since our last report due to seasonal factors, though one contact described demand for value-added industrial steel products as strong. Fourth-quarter steel shipments are projected to be better relative to the third quarter, even on a seasonally adjusted basis. Auto production at District assembly plants for the first seven months of this year was more than 9 percent higher as compared to the same period in 2013.
Capital expenditures are in line with budgeted amounts for the fiscal year. Companies considering an increase to their capital budgets as the year progresses reported that the additional monies will be used mainly for capacity expansion and process automation. A growing number of manufacturers reported rising prices for raw materials, especially metals and agricultural products. Several noted that the increases are beginning to impact their profitability. Higher materials prices were passed through to customers with little pushback. We heard numerous reports about new hiring for managerial, professional (engineering and IT), and production positions. On the production side, there is a growing trend to hire on a temporary or part-time basis until the worker demonstrates that he or she can perform the job. The boost in hiring has put little upward pressure on wages.
Real Estate and Construction
Sales of new and existing single-family homes have leveled off since our last report. Year-to-date purchases through July were slightly lower compared to a year ago. Several homebuilders noted that their construction backlogs are strong at this time due to a sales surge in the spring, but they are uncertain about activity several months down the road. Single-family construction starts across the District are on a gradual upward trend and are ahead of year-ago levels. New-home contracts were spread across all price-point categories. New-home pricing was fairly stable; any increases were attributed to rising development costs, including for lots. Year-to-date selling prices of existing homes trended slowly higher and are above those seen in 2013.
Nonresidential builders reported strong pipeline activity during the past couple of months, and a majority indicated that the level of activity has picked up from year-ago levels. Inquiries are markedly higher and backlogs are growing, in many cases extending into 2015. The hesitancy that was seen earlier in the year on the part of customers to commit to a project has diminished. Market demand is broad based, with contractors becoming less dependent on non-commercial projects. Most builders are fairly optimistic in their outlook, but they remain concerned about labor issues and tight margins.
Builders are projecting modest increases in materials costs, mainly around 2 to 3 percent. The highest price increases are expected for drywall, steel products, softwood, plywood, and diesel fuel. Many general contractors (GCs) reported that they are looking to increase their payrolls, but it is very difficult to find qualified craft-workers. Some GCs have been increasing wages and upgrading benefit plans as a means of attracting and retaining skilled workers. Subcontractors are pushing through rate increases to cover rising construction costs (including labor) and to widen their margins. GCs reported a declining number of bids from subcontractors, which they believe is attributable to inadequate capacity on the part of their subs.
Consumer Spending
Spending at retail outlets and hospitality venues during June and July was generally higher as compared to the early part of the second quarter. Revenues showed a modest increase relative to the same time period in 2013. There is some consensus that even though consumers are growing more confident, their discretionary spending is still relatively weak. Back-to-school items are doing well. A few retailers observed that while their brick and mortar sales have stalled, on-line purchases have risen significantly. Hotel operators told us that occupancy rates are rising and consumers are more accepting of higher prices. Fourth-quarter revenues are projected to be higher, with expected year-over-year percent gains in the low-to-mid single digits. We heard several reports about higher food prices continuing to put upward pressure on restaurant prices and difficulties associated with passing these cost increases through to consumers. Otherwise, vendor and shelf prices held steady. Hotel operators are investing significant monies in upgrading their properties, and some retailers are increasing capital budgets allocated for their e-commerce operations. Retail payrolls are stable.
New motor vehicle sales continued to increase at a robust pace. Year-to-date purchases through July were up 6 percent compared to 2013. Sales of SUVs and trucks picked up during the past few weeks. Some contacts believe that a stronger construction industry is responsible for rising truck sales. With model-changeover time approaching, dealers are seeing some buildup of new car inventory. Used-car purchases showed a modest increase month-over-month and year-to-date. Looking forward, dealers believe that the level of sales will remain elevated, although the pace of sales growth might slow somewhat. The use of incentives has picked up, especially for less popular models. We heard a report about dealers needing to be more adept at using technology to attract younger buyers. Demand for service technicians is growing, but dealers are having difficulty finding qualified applicants.
Banking
Demand for business credit expanded at a moderate pace over the reporting period. Demand was strongest for commercial real estate loans, C&I lending to manufacturers and energy producers, and from healthcare providers. While little change in interest rates was reported, pricing competition remained keen. Consumer credit demand was roughly stable on net. Applications for auto loans remain very strong, while households made slightly less use of HELOCs. A seasonal uptick for boat and RV loans was noted. Residential mortgage activity was flat. Although purchase transactions dominate mortgage applications, several bankers saw an increase in refinancings. Most of our contacts reported a slight decline in delinquency rates across loan categories. No changes were made to loan-application standards during the past six weeks. Core deposits held steady or showed modest growth, with increases coming mainly from commercial customers. On balance, banking payrolls held steady. New hires were mainly in the areas of compliance and risk management; however, in response to reduced traffic at branches, payrolls there are being reduced and some jobs are being changed from full- to part-time, especially those that are considered entry level.
Energy
Year-to-date coal production across the District is consistent with prior-year levels, with no material change in overall production levels anticipated in the near term. A decline in the output of thermal coal (sold mainly to domestic utilities) has been offset by increased production of metallurgical coal, much of which is exported. Spot coal prices remain depressed. Activity in the Marcellus and Utica shales is at a high level. During the first half of 2014, the number of producing wells in Pennsylvania’s Marcellus rose by almost 10 percent compared to the second half of 2013, and the amount of gas produced increased by over 14 percent. We heard a report about Ohio’s Utica shale production remaining below its potential until additional gas transport and processing infrastructure is completed. Wellhead prices for natural gas have declined slightly, while oil prices were steady. Little change was seen in equipment and materials prices, aside from an increase in diesel fuel. Oil and gas producers are feeling some upward pressure on labor costs.
Freight Transportation
Freight volume expanded since our last report, with several contacts describing the pace of growth as moderate to strong. Although demand is fairly broad based, shipments of consumer durables (including motor vehicles) and energy-related commodities and materials stand out. The near-term outlook is favorable; however, several freight haulers are concerned about a capacity shortage. At this time, cost pressures are limited to labor--wages, recruitment, and retention. Some of these rising costs are being passed through to higher shipping rates. Fuel surcharges remain in place. Hiring is for replacement and to a lesser degree, adding capacity. Although most fleets would like to add capacity, they are having difficulty finding qualified drivers. Year-to-date capital spending is in line with or slightly ahead of projections. Firms that are ahead of projections are typically using the monies to add capacity.
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Fifth District--Richmond
The Fifth District economy strengthened further in recent weeks. Manufacturing advanced moderately as shipments and new orders accelerated, and executives were upbeat about further improvement in business conditions. Retail sales grew moderately, although shoppers remained conservative in their spending. At non-retail services firms, the pace of revenue growth was modest. Tourism strengthened, with an increase in group bookings. Lending volumes rose, with stronger demand for mortgage loans, and competition among lenders was stiff. Commercial real estate lending increased in several states, although there were few reports of new construction. There were some reports of upward pressure on interest rates. Residential real estate sales improved modestly, although inventory and prices were little changed. Commercial real estate activity generally strengthened, with mixed reports on vacancy rates. Rental rates were little changed in most locations, while commercial real estate sales prices varied across the District. In agriculture, some crop prices decreased, while input prices were unchanged. Planting and harvesting continued on schedule. In energy markets, coal production was unchanged and prices declined. Demand for both temporary and permanent employees rose slightly in recent weeks. Wage growth slowed in the manufacturing and service sectors, according to our most recent surveys. Prices of manufactured finished goods and raw materials grew at a slower rate, and prices in the service sector, including retail, moved up more rapidly.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing activity improved moderately in recent weeks. According to our latest survey, shipments and new orders grew at a faster rate and inventories of finished goods and raw materials rose at about the same pace as in our last report. Several North Carolina manufacturers reported steady order volumes in recent weeks, while two Virginia producers stated that shipments and new orders increased slightly. A manufacturer of electrical products located in South Carolina reported that sales had recently increased and he was upbeat about the future. Additionally, an executive at a pipe manufacturing facility in Maryland said that orders and shipments were up slightly from the previous month. Several manufacturers reported greater optimism about future business conditions. According to most contacts prices of raw materials and finished goods rose at a slower pace. In contrast, an executive at a Carolinas packaging corporation stated that input prices decreased, and output prices remained stable.
Ports
Port activity strengthened further since our last report. Volume and traffic through District ports were considerably greater year over year, with double-digit gains in imports. Some of the increase was attributed to diversions from the West Coast during labor negotiations. In addition, the peak import season appears to have shifted earlier this year. Consumer goods such as apparel, auto parts, and plastic products were import leaders. Furniture imports were flat according to one source. A port official noted that ship capacity has become very tight, driving up prices for smaller importers. Export leaders were soybeans, grains, corn, lumber, forest products, and auto parts, and for one port, cars.
Retail
Retail sales grew moderately faster in recent weeks despite generally restrained spending by consumers. A repr