WASHINGTON ? Businesses across several parts of the United States began testing price increases and revising hiring plans in April as tariff costs and trade-policy uncertainty spread through the economy, according to the Federal Reserve's latest regional survey.

The Federal Reserve's Beige Book said overall economic activity was little changed, but described uncertainty around international trade policy as pervasive. It said several districts reported a rush by consumers to buy vehicles and some nondurable goods before expected tariff-related price increases took hold.

In a separate report on the survey, CNBC said businesses were already looking for ways to pass higher costs to customers, a shift that could feed inflation concerns even as growth stayed subdued.

Regional snapshots in the Beige Book pointed to the same pattern. The Kansas City Fed district summary said many firms expected the most likely change to business plans this year would be higher prices for finished products, while other contacts cited weaker demand, hiring caution and efforts to protect cash positions.

The survey did not present a single nationwide tariff impact estimate, but it offered one of the clearest official snapshots yet of how companies were adjusting as import duties and policy reversals reshaped planning across manufacturing, retail and services.