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Impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the Import and Export Price Index data for April 2020

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Import and Export Price Index data was relatively minor for April 2020 data published on May 14, 2020. The response rates for April 2020 data and April 2019 data for import prices and export prices are shown in tables 1 and 2 below. In each case, the response rates for April 2020 are compared to the response rates from April 2019 at the time of initial publication. Note that the Import and Export Price Indexes are revised in the 3 subsequent months after initial publication and that response rates improve as more data are subsequently collected.

Table 1. U.S. Import Price Indexes response rates
Imports	April 2019	April 2020
All Imports	74.7%	68.1%
Food, Feeds, and Beverages	70.8	66.0
Industrial Supplies	76.7	69.6
Capital Goods	74.6	69.8
Automotive Vehicles	79.8	68.6
Consumer Goods	74.0	65.8

Aggregate response for April import prices were 68.1 percent, 6.6 percentage points lower than same period in 2019. Response rates varied by major end use category, ranging between 66.0 percent for foods, feeds, and beverages to 69.8 percent for Capital Goods. Among the major import groupings, response rates for automotive vehicles showed the greatest difference between April 2019 and April 2020.

Table 2. U.S. Export Price Indexes response rates
Exports	April 2019	April 2020
All Exports	77.5%	71.5%
Food, Feeds, and Beverages	81.3	72.3
Industrial Supplies	77.3	69.3
Capital Goods	74.4	70.9
Automotive Vehicles	84.3	68.7
Consumer Goods	80.2	79.2

Aggregate response rates for April 2020 export prices were 71.5 percent, 6 percentage points lower than same period in 2019. Response rates varied by major end-use category, ranging between 68.7 percent for Automotive Vehicles to 79.2 percent for Consumer Goods. Among the major export groupings, response rates for automotive vehicles showed the greatest difference between April 2019 and April 2020.

Publication quality is evaluated monthly and annually. Each month, the number of respondents contacted and prices requested varies. These changes occur as the market basket is updated monthly to add new representative items and exclude items no longer traded and as respondents establish different schedules to report price changes. Information on the data collection process provide metrics to evaluate the number and representative share of prices that support index quality. Published indexes assure confidentiality of respondents and robustness of coverage for items, companies, and sample representativeness.

The top-level price indexes continue to be representative of total trade. Detailed indexes face greater likelihood of not being published. If there are an insufficient number of prices collected to support index publication, the index’s publication is suppressed for the months that insufficient price data are collected.
A list of indexes published prior to the COVID-19 pandemic that were inadequate for publication with April 2020 are shown in table 3 below. The indexes were subject to revision and remain published for January, February, and March.

Table 3. List of indexes inadequate for publication for April 2020
LABSTAT ID	Index
BEA End Use Classification System
EIUIR42	Import Nonmanufactured consumer goods
EIUIR421	Import Nonmanufactured consumer durables
EIUIR42100	Import Gem diamonds-uncut or unset
EIUIQ12760	Export Mineral supplies – manufactured
EIUIQ42	Export Nonmanufactured consumer goods
Harmonized Classification System
EIUIP7102	Import Diamonds, whether or not worked, but not mounted or set
North American Industry Classification System
EIUIZ335314	Import Relay and industrial control manufacturing
EIUIZ33991	Import Jewelry and silverware manufacturing
Imports by Locality of Origin
EIUCOLATZ3342	Import Communications equipment manufacturing from Latin America
EIUCOMEXZ3342	Import Communications equipment manufacturing from Mexico

Last Modified Date: May 14, 2020