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US economy grew slowly in late Oct, early Nov-Fed

WASHINGTON, Nov 27 (Reuters) - The U.S. economy has inched ahead slowly in recent weeks as consumers spent less on cars and manufacturers struggled, the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday.

"Economic activity grew slowly, on balance, in late October and early November," the Fed said in its "beige book" report, an anecdotal survey of national economic conditions compiled from reports by the Fed's 12 regional banks.

The Fed said consumer spending was "varied" among the regions, with some reporting slight gains but others seeing weak or declining sales. Auto sales were reported to be down in all the regions, however, a trend that continued into November.

The Fed said manufacturing activity "remained soft" in most areas, and spending for new facilities and equipment was also limited. Residential real estate, however, retained its strength, the Fed said.

The beige book was compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, based on information collected before Nov. 18. It is for use by Fed monetary policymakers at their next meeting on Dec. 10.