More Fed regions report slowdown: Beige Book (by Greg Robb)

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Three of the 12 Federal Reserve district banks reported that growth slowed in June and early July, according to the latest Federal Reserve economic survey, up from only one region in May. The slowdown appeared to be concentrated in the East Coast and mid-Atlantic regions, as the New York, Philadelphia and Cleveland districts saw weaker activity. The majority of Fed districts saw "modest to moderate" expansion, the so-called Beige Book said. This is slower than the "moderate" growth seen in the last survey released in May. There were positive reports on housing markets from across the country. Factory production was said to be expanding slowly, but there were widespread reports of a deceleration in new orders. Wage pressure, a key ingredient of inflation, remained modest. Hiring was seen as "tepid."