Das sogenannte "Beige Book" wird 8x im Jahr vom Federal reserve Board veröffentlicht. Darin enthalten sind die Einzel-Reports sämtlicher 12 Federal Reserve Banken mit Einschätzungen zur aktuellen wirtschaftlichen Lage. Diese Einschätzungen basieren hauptsächlich auf Hinweisen aus der Wirtschaft und stellt nicht die "offizielle" Meinung der Fed dar.
Im aktuellsten Beige Book, das am 13.06.2007 veröffentlicht wurde, zeigt sich, dass die Wirtschaft im April und Mai zwar anzog - der Immobilien-Sektor davon aber nur wenig profitieren konnte.
Auszug aus dem kompletten Report:
The real estate and construction industries were marked by continued weakness in the residential sector and increasing strength in the commercial sector. Most Districts characterized their housing markets as soft or weak.
San Francisco reported that sales volumes for both new and existing homes fell further in most areas, with modest price declines in some parts of the District. Minneapolis described the District's housing markets as mostly weak, and Dallas described the District's housing markets as soft, noting high cancellation rates for new home sales in Dallas and continued slowing in the Houston market.
Philadelphia reported no improvement in the housing market, and Cleveland reported that new home sales were stable but prices were down. Atlanta reported that sales stabilized at low levels in parts of Florida but continued to decline in Georgia. Reports from Richmond and St. Louis were mixed, with sales stabilizing or improving in some areas but declining in others.
The most positive report on housing markets came from the New York District where there were signs of strengthening in New York City, parts of Long Island, and some close-in New Jersey suburbs. However, housing markets in the rest of the New York District remain sluggish.
No District reported an increase in new home construction. Moreover, inventories and days on the market continue to rise in some Districts, although the Kansas City District has seen a reduction in inventories. Realtors in the Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Atlanta Districts anticipate that the weakness in the housing market will last several more months at least.
