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
|
Bureau of Labor Statistics
