The World Cup Officially Made It Into The Federal Reserve's Assessment Of The Economy

The Federal Reserve just released its Beige Book, which is its anecdotal look at the state of the economy across its various regions.

The report specifically made mention of The World Cup having an impact on the economy in the St. Louis District:

Economic activity in the Eighth District has increased modestly since the previous report. Retail activity in the District has expanded at a modest pace. Recent reports of planned activity in manufacturing and services have been positive on net. Residential real estate market conditions have continued to deteriorate throughout the District, while commercial real estate market conditions have improved. Lending activity at a sample of small and mid-sized District banks has increased slightly. Finally, wage and employment levels have grown modestly, while prices have increased slightly.

Consumer Spending
The retail sector experienced, on net, modest growth across the District with openings announced in the apparel, auto, and home and garden sectors, but these were accompanied by a few closures by both national and local retailers. Contacts noted that the retail furniture market remains soft in parts of the District. One major mall in the District saw slightly positive sales growth. Contacts reported good sales entering the summer months for hardware/lumber yards, retail establishments, and restaurants. Finally, some restaurants and businesses across the District saw historically large revenue during the World Cup festivities.