St Louis And San Francisco Districts example essay topic

1,348 words
The Federal Reserve is the central bank of the United States. It incorporates twelve Federal Reserve branch banks and all national banks and stated charted commercial banks as well as some trust companies. Before August 25, 2003, the economy reportedly continued to improve as these twelve Federal Reserve districts would indicate. The majority of this improvement occurred in July and August, while in eleven of the twelve districts began their increased levels of activity in the ladder parts of the summer. Some districts proved to have a rather comprehensive range of advancement as others improvement was more sectionalize d. Sanguine opinions stirred as even the generally weak districts such as Dallas, have begun to gain moment ive improvement.

Activity with consumers as well as manufacturing activity increased across the nation in most districts. Retail sales were slight in Kansas City, Philadelphia, and in Boston. Yet in New York, statistics show that sales were reasonably good in July and then seemed to decrease in August. This is said to have occurred due to the blackout back in August. The blackout had a surprising insignificant effect, as most firms did not expect much loss of production. The Cleveland and St. Louis districts appeared to be weakening or dwindling downward according to respondents from each of those districts.

While consumer activity remained fairly stable, the manufacturing activity was increasing in ten of the twelve districts. Dallas and Richmond were the two exceptions which recorded very small change as well as weakened manufacturing activity. Summer months maintained much of the increased activity of nonfinancial service firms, temp agencies, software and IT companies. Majority of the districts reporting on bank lending found increases. Then, while the caboose of the market held various signs of improvement, most of the commercial real estate markets were found weak as appose to the strong housing markets.

Markets of labor, as well as their costs and prices, remained neutral and even fairly remit throughout the United States. Their were few reports of occupational pau cities while unusual benefits, such as health insurance, were made more available as well as increased wages in many districts. Districts stated that increased prices for natural gas, gasoline, insurance, tuition, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals seem to be stabilizing or even decreasing. While little change is expected in coming months, while prices are expected to be modest yet level across the nation as the current trend in most districts. Retail and tourism in most districts improved respectively in July and August. While August was rather unstable, New York reported sales to be above expectations previously in July.

Unlike New York, Philadelphia gained sales in August and lost them in July. In comparison to last year, the sales revenues exclaimed to be down in St. Louis as reports were scattered in the Cleveland district. The demand for back-to-school merchandise and apparel was considerably strong across the nation. Such districts include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Minneapolis and Philadelphia. Home furnishing sales have risen as well as improving sales in Appliance throughout New York, St. Louis, and San Francisco. Automobile sales are scattered throughout the nation.

Districts such as Boston, Kansas City, and St. Louis have maintained a rising pattern of sales since the summer. Sales in Cleveland are dropping in comparison to the previous year, as Dallas remains extremely level. Increased incentives may draw consumers as dealers begin to reduce this years inventory for the new years models. Tourism seems to remain mixed and scattered along with the retail sales.

July and the beginning half of August occupy the scattered rate of tourism. The Overall levels have dropped over the past year in the large district of Atlanta, a tourist landmark. Majority of the tourist have been arriving by automobile as appose to aircraft. With hotel vacancy decreasing in San Francisco, reports of tourist have increased moderately in the ladder part of July and August. In ten of the of the twelve districts improvements of manufacturing activities and related services have been reported.

For the spring and early summer, New York, Cleveland, Kansas City, and San Francisco have followed trends for higher production. Of the remaining districts, the improvements are selective. The demand for autos and auto parts, high tech equipment, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and building materials have risen of various districts. The demand for markets for paper, chemicals, textiles, and furniture have been stilled while the steel demand has become extenuated.

Energy and insurance has also become a nagging hazard to the manufacturers, while material cost has been maintained. The demand for manufacturing labor seems to be strengthening. Reports of cuts and lay-offs are much less often, due to the manufacturers visions of greater production throughout the remainder of 2003. The uncertainties of economic recovery have created a vivid planning of conservatively, but are not expected to alter the volume to production. The higher demand for non-financial service firms in Boston, New York, Cleveland, Richmond, Atlanta, Dallas, and San Francisco is much greater than the pervious year.

Revenue and employment levels in the Boston and San Francisco districts have become level and even a degree higher than last year. Although the Boston district had various companies experiment with the idea to layoffs, the district decided to totally decline and began to hire. Employment firms, which were temporary, reported a compact demand of growth in the second and the beginning of the third quarters. With an increas ment in activity in July and August, New York, Richmond, and Dallas have reported that the trucking and shipping specific yet total volume has risen over the past year. Many districts reported that the banking and financial services registered an honest yet modest catch on lending in the ladder half of July and August.

Unlike Atlanta, Chicago, and Richmond, the overall lending was increasing in Cleveland, Dallas, Kansas City, New York and Philadelphia. This was all due to the weak mortgage refinancing activity. While business loan chastity was held firm, the quality of emptor credit remained largely homogeneous across the United States. The activity of residential real estate remained strong and bonded throughout July and mid-August. Some said to have sales reaching all-time highs in construction and real estate. The Chicago, Cleveland, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Richmond, St. Louis, and San Francisco districts collected that sales were potent in immediate weeks.

The Dallas district suggests that in July and early August, that the real estate markets have proceeded to improve considerably. Random reports of improvements were scattered although the commercial real estate markets were lethargic. The overall conditions were 'soft' in Chicago, 'weakened' in Kansas City, 'sluggish' in Minneapolis, and 'lagging' in St. Louis. All at the same time, Boson reported that the markets are 'holding steady' while Richmond cites 'flat' conditions. New York saw contentious improvement, while Atlanta saw small pieces of that improvement as Dallas reported its overall optimism. Weather played a large role in the delayed and damaging of crops.

The agriculture and other natural resources shaped the many districts farming and agricultural sections. Much of the districts success was based upon the weather and the current types of seasonal patterns. Prices seemed steady and strong. As one district gained or even fell at times, it appeared that another would either rise or fall along with the leading district. Each section played a role in the others success and failure. As the livestock was put under stress, especially in parts of Minneapolis and Kansas City, other means of production were put into action.

Natural gas prices were driven up as the reduced availability of hydro power as well as the hot weather. Some districts have seen the loans for gas field equipment and development to become stronger.