[Federal Reserve Beige Book: Moderate Inflation Increase, Business Cost Pressures Persist] Jin10 News, July 16 – The Federal Reserve's Beige Book indicates that overall price levels in the United States have risen moderately. Among the 12 Federal Reserve districts, 9 reported moderate price increases, 2 reported stronger increases, and 1 reported smaller increases, with the overall growth rate remaining steady or slowing compared to the previous period. The report states that rising costs in energy, transportation, and raw materials have driven up business input costs, with some businesses attributing the pressure to Middle East conflicts and tariff impacts. Consumer prices continue to rise, squeezing profit margins for some businesses. Regarding future inflation trends, market opinions are divided: some expect inflation to remain at current levels, while others believe declining fuel prices may ease the pressure.