WASHINGTON, March 4 (Reuters) - U.S. economic conditions got worse in January and February and businesses do not expect improvement until late this year or early 2010, a Federal Reserve survey published on Wednesday said.
"National economic conditions deteriorated further," the Fed said in its Beige Book summary gathered from districts around the country. "The deterioration was broad based," the Fed added.
The report was taken from information gathered by the San Francisco Fed on or before Feb. 23.
Battered housing markets remained "in the doldrums" in most areas, with only scattered, very tentative signs of stabilization reported, the Fed said. (Reporting by Mark Felsenthal, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)