Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 13 hours ago
The Federal Reserve is responsible for tracking the economy in real time. A Fed publication called the Beige Book—somewhat obscure but growing in popularity—offers a public window into what the Fed is hearing from businesses across the country and in each Reserve Bank’s district. Where did the Beige Book come from, and why does it have such a strange name? How is the report put together, and what does it tell us about the economy? Why has the Minneapolis Fed’s Beige Book report on the Ninth District won more Beigie Awards from National Public Radio than any other district? Hear from the members of the Ninth District Beige Book team and learn about this colorful report.
The Federal Reserve is responsible for tracking the economy in real time. A Fed publication called the Beige Book—somewhat obscure but growing in popularity—offers a public window into what the Fed is hearing from businesses across the country and in each Reserve Bank’s district. Where did the Beige Book come from, and why does it have such a strange name? How is the report put together, and what does it tell us about the economy? Why has the Minneapolis Fed’s Beige Book report on the Ninth District won more Beigie Awards from National Public Radio than any other district? Hear from the members of the Ninth District Beige Book team and learn about this colorful report.
