First Beige Book of 2021 Reveals Housing, Industrial Up; Retail, Office Down

Drawing on anecdotal information gathered by the directors of the 12 district banks and their branches, the Beige Book provides an interesting snapshot of how economic conditions have changed since the last report. The most recent Beige Book -- published on Jan. 13 -- finds continued strength in residential and industrial real estate, with persistent weakness in commercial real estate. Tightening lending standards for commercial loans also are being reported.