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Rebasing of Selected Producer Price Indexes

Effective with the release of data for May 1999, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has rebased 37 PPI commodity-based and 36 PPI industry-based price indexes to December 1998=100. Most of these data can normally be found in table 5 and table 6 of the PPI Detailed Report. To be considered for rebasing, an index must have dropped below 30.0, with little chance of rising to previous levels, or the index must be part of an index aggregate where the majority of the shipment value was rebased. The indexes for high-technology goods such as computers and semiconductors were most affected by this rebasing. (See the tables below.)

Rebasing is beneficial when indexes decline to such a low level that relatively sizable month-to-month price changes are not reflected in the index in a timely fashion. For example, the first-released index for April 1999 for portable computers stood at 9.1 (December 1992=100). This index level is so low that prices must change approximately 1.0 percent for the published index to indicate a change. Of course, a 1.0-percent movement in prices may accumulate over, say, two months, but the lack of precision at this low index level could place the entire price change in the second month.

The general index base for the PPI program remains 1982=100. Only the indexes listed in the attached tables are affected by this change. For further information on this change, please contact the Section of Index Analysis at (202) 691-7705.

Table C. Commodity indexes selected for rebasing

Commodity code

Commodity title

Final December 1998 index before rebasing

05810111

Petroleum coke

10.0

102108

Uranium-radium-vanadium ores

NA

10210802

Uranium concentrated and precipitates

NA

10220141

Cadmium metal, 99.90 pct. min.

10.1

115

Electronic computers and computer equipment

30.2

1151

Electronic computers

21.8

115101

Electronic computers

21.8

11510111

Large-scale general purpose computers

60.2

11510112

Mid-range general purpose computers

41.4

11510114

Personal computers and workstations

13.3

11510115

Portable computers

10.7

11510121

Other computers

85.5

1152

Computer storage devices

38.5

115201

Computer storage devices, except parts

35.4

11520101

Computer storage devices, except parts

35.4

115202

Parts and components

NA

11520201

Parts and components

NA

1153

Computer terminals and parts

88.7

115301

Computer terminals

90.0

11530101

Computer terminals

90.0

115302

Computer terminal parts and subassemblies

NA

11530201

Computer terminal parts and subassemblies

NA

1154

Computer peripheral equipment and parts

77.6

115401

Optical scanning devices

82.1

11540101

Optical scanning devices

82.1

115402

Computer printers

62.0

11540201

Computer printers

62.0

115403

Other input/output devices, inc. monitors

70.5

11540301

Other input/output devices, inc. monitors

70.5

115404

Other peripheral equipment

87.1

11540401

Other peripheral equipment

87.1

115405

Parts for computer peripheral equipment

101.4

11540501

Parts for computer peripheral equipment

101.4

117842

Digital MOS integrated circuits

18.5

11784221

MOS, memory

13.7

11784223

Other MOS, incl. logic, MCU and MPR

54.7

11784225

MOS, microprocessors

6.1

 

Table D. Industry-based indexes selected for rebasing

Product code

Product title

Final December 1998 index before rebasing

2037197

Citrus pulp and other nonedible citrus byproducts

17.2

2911D21

Petroleum coke, made in refineries

10.0

3571

Electronic computers

26.6

3571P

Primary products

21.3

35711

General purpose digital computers

27.1

357111

Large-scale (64 MB or more in minimum main memory configuration)

49.0

357112

Mid-range (<64 MB min. main memory) excl. PCs and workstations

41.4

357114

Personal computers and workstations (excluding portable computers)

13.3

357115

Portable computers (with attached display)

10.7

35712

Other computers

85.5

357121

Other computers (array, database, image processors, & other analog, hybrid, or special purpose)

NA

3571M

Miscellaneous receipts

51.1

3571XY9

Contract work and other miscellaneous receipts

NA

3571Z89

Resales

NA

3571S

Secondary products

61.9

3571SS

Other secondary products

75.3

3572

Computer storage devices

42.2

3572P

Primary products

39.2

35721

Computer storage devices, except parts

35.4

357211

Random access storage devices

24.4

3572111

Hard disk drives (rigid magnetic media)

18.1

35721115

With media size smaller than 3.5 inches

NA

35721117

With media size of 3.5 inches and over but less than 5.25 inches

14.2

35721141

With media size of 5.25 inches and over

NA

35721145

Disk subsystems and disk arrays (RAID)

45.3

3674

Semiconductors and related devices

69.3

3674P

Primary products

55.2

36741

Integrated circuits

41.3

36741A

Digital monolithic integrated circuits

23.6

36741A1

MOS memory devices

11.2

36741A101

DRAM (dynamic random access memory)

13.1

36741A109

Other MOS memory devices

73.0

36741A2

Other digital MOS integrated circuits

45.4

36741A201

Microprocessors

5.6

36741A209

All other digital MOS integrated circuits

98.8

36741A9

Other digital integrated circuits, including bipolar and nonsilicon

81.6

 

Last Modified Date: October 16, 2001