FOR DATA ONLY:  (202) 691-5200      USDL 08-1805
FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION:          TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN
(202) 691-7705                      THIS RELEASE IS EMBARGOED
MEDIA CONTACT:  (202) 691-5902      UNTIL 8:30 A.M. (EST), FRIDAY,
http://www.bls.gov/ppi              DECEMBER 12, 2008

                       Producer Price Indexes - November 2008

	The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods fell 2.2 percent in November, seasonally 
adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.  This 
decline followed decreases of 2.8 percent in October and 0.4 percent in September.  At the 
earlier stages of processing, prices received by manufacturers of intermediate goods dropped 4.3 
percent in November after falling 3.9 percent in the prior month, and the crude goods index 
declined 12.5 percent subsequent to an 18.6-percent decrease in October.  (See table A.)

        Among prices for finished goods, the index for energy goods fell 11.2 percent in 
November following a 12.8-percent drop in the preceding month.  Prices for consumer foods 
were unchanged after declining 0.2 percent in October.  By contrast, partially counteracting the 
slower rate of decrease in the finished goods index, prices for goods other than foods and energy 
advanced 0.1 percent in November compared with a 0.4-percent rise a month earlier.

	Before seasonal adjustment, the Producer Price Index for Finished Goods fell 2.9 percent 
in November to 172.1 (1982 = 100).  For the 12 months ended in November, prices for finished 
goods advanced 0.4 percent.  Over the same period, the index for finished goods other than foods 
and energy rose 4.2 percent, and prices for finished consumer foods increased 6.7 percent.  By 
contrast, the index for finished energy goods decreased 15.4 percent for the 12 months ended in 
November.  At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by intermediate goods producers 
advanced 2.6 percent, while the crude goods index declined 19.4 percent.

Finished goods

	The index for finished energy goods fell 11.2 percent in November subsequent to a 12.8-
percent drop in October.  Prices for residential natural gas decreased 4.6 percent in November 
after declining 5.9 percent a month earlier.  The indexes for both unleaded premium and mid-
premium gasoline and for kerosene also moved down less than they had in October.  Prices for 
residential electric power turned up in November after falling in the prior month.  By contrast, 
the home heating oil index decreased 23.3 percent in November following a 9.6-percent decline 
in the preceding month.  Prices for liquefied petroleum gas and unleaded regular gasoline also 
fell more than they had in October.  (See table 2.)

	The index for finished consumer foods was unchanged in November following a 0.2-
percent decline in the previous month.  Prices for beef and veal increased 6.3 percent after 
decreasing 8.8 percent in October.  The indexes for packaged fluid milk and related products and 
citrus fruits also turned up in November.  By contrast, the index for processed young chickens 
declined 0.9 percent subsequent to a 5.9-percent advance in October.  Prices for eggs for fresh 
use, natural cheese (except cottage cheese), and melons also turned down after rising a month 
earlier.  The index for fresh vegetables (except potatoes) rose less in November than in the prior 
month.  

	The index for finished goods other than foods and energy inched up 0.1 percent in 
November following a 0.4-percent increase in the preceding month.  Tire prices advanced 0.1 
percent after climbing 4.0 percent in October.  The indexes for light motor trucks, consumer 
plastic products, malt beverages, power and distribution transformers, and for jewelry and 
jewelry products turned down in November.  By contrast, passenger car prices fell 0.6 percent 
subsequent to a 1.7-percent decrease in October.  The index for pharmaceutical preparations rose 
in November after declining in the prior month, and prices for soaps and synthetic detergents 
increased more than they had in October.

Intermediate goods

	The Producer Price Index for Intermediate Materials, Supplies, and Components 
decreased 4.3 percent in November after falling 3.9 percent in October.  Prices for materials for 
both nondurable and durable manufacturing, intermediate energy goods, and materials and 
components for construction declined more in November than they had a month earlier.  
Conversely, partially offsetting the faster rate of decrease in intermediate materials prices, the 
index for intermediate foods and feeds fell less than it had in October.  (See table B.)

        The index for materials for nondurable manufacturing moved down 8.5 percent in 
November following a 4.6-percent decline in the prior month.  Prices for basic inorganic 
chemicals decreased 4.9 percent compared with a 1.1-percent gain in October.  The index for 
surface active agents also turned down after rising in the previous month.  The indexes for plastic 
resins and materials and for agricultural chemicals and chemical products fell more than they had 
a month earlier.  Prices for cyclic intermediate chemicals and dyes decreased after no change in 
the preceding month.  By contrast, prices for primary basic organic chemicals moved down 15.5 
percent following a 20.8-percent plunge a month earlier.  The indexes for beef and veal and for 
writing and printing papers turned up in November.  Prices for synthetic rubber advanced more 
than in the previous month.  (See table 2.)
        
	The index for intermediate energy goods fell 12.3 percent in November subsequent to a 
10.6-percent decline a month earlier.  Prices for residual fuels plummeted 34.5 percent following 
a 19.6-percent decrease in October.  The indexes for heating oil, unleaded regular gasoline, 
liquefied petroleum gas, and diesel fuel also fell more in November than in the preceding month.  
Prices for industrial electric power edged down after advancing in the prior month.  By contrast, 
the rate of decline in the natural gas to electric utilities index slowed to 1.4 percent following a 
13.3-percent decrease in October.  Prices for commercial natural gas, jet fuel, and unleaded 
premium gasoline also declined less than they had a month earlier.  

        Prices for materials for durable manufacturing moved down 6.2 percent in November 
compared with a 4.1-percent decrease in the preceding month.  The steel mill products index fell 
9.0 percent subsequent to a 4.2-percent decline in October.  Similarly, prices for secondary 
nonferrous metals, copper and brass mill shapes, nonferrous wire and cable, and aluminum mill 
shapes also fell more than they had a month earlier.  The index for non-marine OEM paint 
finishes turned down after rising in October.  By contrast, the rate of decline in prices for 
unfinished softwood lumber (not made from purchased materials) slowed to 2.6 percent in 
November following a 9.6-percent decline in the prior month.  The index for synthetic fibers also 
declined less than it had in the prior month. 
        
	Prices for materials and components for construction declined 1.1 percent after 
decreasing 0.7 percent in October.  The index for asphalt felts and coatings fell 1.5 percent 
following a 5.6-percent increase a month earlier.  Prices for millwork, plastic products, and 
fabricated ferrous wire products also turned down in November.  The indexes for steel mill 
products and for nonferrous wire and cable decreased more than they had in October.  
Conversely, prices for paving mixtures and blocks inched up 0.1 percent after moving down 3.7 
percent in the prior month.  The index for ready-mix concrete also turned up in November.  
Prices for unfinished softwood lumber (not made from purchased materials) and treated wood 
fell less than they had in October. 
        
        Prices for intermediate foods and feeds decreased 2.4 percent in November compared 
with a 5.5-percent decline in the prior month.  The fats and oils index moved down 2.9 percent 
subsequent to an 11.0-percent drop in October.  Flour prices also decreased less than they had a 
month earlier.  Prices for corn, cottonseed, and soybean cake and meal; beef and veal; and 
packaged fluid milk and related products turned up in November.  By contrast, the index for 
formula feeds fell 9.3 percent after declining 5.8 percent in the previous month.  Prices for 
processed young chickens and natural cheese (except cottage cheese) turned down in November.  
The refined sugar and byproducts index rose less than it had in October.  

Crude goods

        The decline in the Producer Price Index for Crude Materials for Further Processing 
slowed to 12.5 percent in November from 18.6 percent in October.  The indexes for crude 
foodstuffs and feedstuffs and for crude energy materials decreased less than in the prior month.  
Conversely, partially offsetting the slower rate of decline in crude material prices, the index for 
crude nonfood materials less energy fell more than in October.  (See table B.)

        The index for crude foodstuffs and feedstuffs moved down 1.2 percent in November 
following an 11.1-percent decrease in the preceding month.  The decline in grains prices slowed 
to 4.1 percent from 22.3 percent in October.  Prices for hay, hayseeds, and oilseeds; fluid milk; 
and slaughter cows and bulls also fell less than a month earlier.  The index for slaughter steers 
and heifers turned up in November after declining in the preceding month, and prices for Irish 
potatoes for processing were unchanged after decreasing in October.  By contrast, the index for 
slaughter hogs dropped 15.8 percent after moving down 9.3 percent in the prior month.  Prices 
for slaughter chickens rose less in November than in the previous month.  (See table 2.)

        The decline in the index for crude energy materials slowed to 18.7 percent from 24.9 
percent in October.  The index for natural gas fell 10.9 percent after dropping 29.1 percent a 
month earlier.  Conversely, prices for crude petroleum decreased 30.2 percent in November after 
moving down 26.0 percent in the previous month.  The coal index turned down 0.5 percent after 
rising 0.4 percent in October.

        The index for crude nonfood materials less energy fell 20.4 percent subsequent to a 17.0-
percent decline in the previous month.  The index for wastepaper dropped 57.1 percent in 
November after decreasing 10.6 percent a month earlier.  Prices for copper ores; carbon steel 
scrap; raw cotton; copper base scrap; and logs, bolts, timber, and pulpwood also fell more than in 
October.  The index for gold ores turned down after rising in the prior month.  By contrast, the 
decline in the index for aluminum base scrap slowed to 17.6 percent in November from 22.0 
percent a month earlier.  Prices for soybeans turned up after falling in October.

Net output price indexes

Mining, Utilities, and Manufacturing Industries.  The Producer Price Index for the Net Output 
of Total Mining, Utilities, and Manufacturing Industries fell 4.0 percent in November after 
declining 3.4 percent in October.  (Net output price indexes are not seasonally adjusted.)  Prices 
received by manufacturers of automobiles, light trucks, and utility vehicles decreased 1.2 percent 
in November after rising 7.6 percent a month earlier.  The industry indexes for electric power 
generation, poultry processing, and cheese manufacturing also turned down after increasing in 
October.  Prices received by petroleum refineries declined more in November than they had in 
the prior month.  By contrast, partially offsetting the faster rate of decline in the total mining, 
utilities, and manufacturing industries index, prices received by natural gas distributors increased 
0.8 percent in November following a 6.2-percent drop in the preceding month.  The industry 
indexes for electric power distribution, livestock slaughtering, and crude petroleum and natural 
gas extraction fell less than they had in October.  Prices received by fluid milk manufacturers 
turned up in November.  In November, the index for total mining, utilities, and manufacturing 
industries was 108.1 (December 2006 = 100), 1.2 percent above its year-ago level.

Trade Industries.  The Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Total Trade Industries 
decreased 3.2 percent in November compared with a 2.8-percent rise in October.  (Trade indexes 
measure changes in margins received by wholesalers and retailers.)  Margins received by 
gasoline stations with convenience stores plummeted 53.4 percent in November after jumping 
46.1 percent a month earlier.  The margin indexes for merchant wholesalers of durable goods, 
general merchandise stores, fuel dealers, and specialty food stores also turned down after 
increasing in October.  Margins received by merchant wholesalers of nondurable goods and by 
pharmacies and drug stores rose less in November than they had in the preceding month.  By 
contrast, the rise in the margin index for grocery stores accelerated to 4.7 percent from 0.2 
percent in the prior month.  Margins received by office supplies and stationery stores and by 
sporting goods stores turned up after declining in October.  In November, the index for total 
trade industries was 110.6 (December 2006 = 100), 6.0 percent above its year-ago level.

Transportation and Warehousing Industries.  The Producer Price Index for the Net Output of 
Total Transportation and Warehousing Industries declined 1.7 percent in November after falling 
0.4 percent in October.  Prices received by the industry for scheduled passenger air transportation 
moved down 3.4 percent in November compared with a 2.1-percent increase in the previous 
month.  The indexes for both the inland water and deep sea freight transportation industries also 
turned down after rising in October.  The indexes for general freight trucking and for long 
distance specialized freight trucking of new goods declined more in November than they had in 
the preceding month.  By contrast, prices received by couriers were unchanged after falling 3.1 
percent in October.  The industry indexes for freight transportation arrangement and local 
specialized freight trucking of new goods decreased less in November than they had a month 
earlier.  In November, the index for total transportation and warehousing industries was 112.6 
(December 2006 = 100), 5.7 percent above its year-ago level.

Traditional Service Industries.  The Producer Price Index for the Net Output of Total 
Traditional Service Industries inched up 0.1 percent in November following a 0.3-percent gain in 
the previous month.  Higher prices received by the industries for commercial banking, insurance 
carriers, and software publishers outweighed lower prices for portfolio management, investment 
banking and securities dealing, non-casino hotels and motels, lessors of nonresidential buildings, 
savings institutions, and for general medical and surgical hospitals.  In November, the index for 
total traditional service industries was 102.7 (December 2006 = 100), 0.1 percent above its year-
ago level.

                                             *****
Producer Price Index data for December 2008 are scheduled to be released on Thursday, January 
15, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. (EST).


          PPI Commodity Weight Allocations to Stage-of-Processing Indexes to be Updated

	Effective with the release of January 2009 data on February 19, 2009, the Bureau of 
Labor Statistics will update the weight allocations used to calculate its stage-of-processing (SOP) 
indexes to more accurately reflect recent sales patterns.  While PPI weights will continue to be 
based on shipment values from the 2002 economic census, the proportion of these weights 
allocated to the various SOP categories within and, in some cases, across the Finished, 
Intermediate, and Crude goods stages will change.  The new allocations will be based primarily 
on data contained in the 2002 Input/Output Accounts published by the Bureau of Economic 
Analysis.

	It is important to note that the allocation update will not change the PPI classification 
system, reference base, or aggregation structure.  It may, however, result in significant shifts in 
the relative importance of component series in the stage-of-processing indexes.  

	Relative importance figures as of December 2008, will be available on February 17, 
2009 on the BLS Web site at:  www.bls.gov/ppi.  Choose the "PPI Tables" link, under the "On 
This Page" heading.  The revised SOP relative importance figures will be available through the 
links:  "Component series by stage of processing" and "Commodity groupings by major stage of 
processing category."  The information may also be requested from the Division of Industrial 
Prices and Price Indexes, Section of Index Analysis and Public Information, at 202-691-7705.  
For further information on this change, please contact Jon Weinhagen at (202) 691-7709.


Recalculated Seasonal Adjustment Factors and Relative Importance Figures to be Available on 
                                      February 17, 2009

        Each year with the release of PPI data for January, seasonal adjustment factors are 
recalculated to reflect price movements from the just-completed calendar year.  This routine 
annual calculation may result in revisions to seasonally adjusted indexes for the previous 5 years.  
The following information will be available on February 17, 2009 (2 workdays prior to the 
release of PPI data for January 2009 on February 19):

*       Direct seasonal factors for commodity indexes for the year 2009,

*       Recalculated seasonal factors for the last 5 years (2004-2008) for the commodity indexes, 

*       Recalculated seasonal factors for the last 5 years (2004-2008) for the stage-of-processing 
indexes.

        In addition to recalculated seasonal factors, December 2008 relative importance figures 
also will be available on February 17, 2009.
        
        To obtain this information, visit the PPI website at http://www.bls.gov/ppi/ or call the 
Division of Industrial Prices and Price Indexes, Section of Index Analysis and Public 
Information at (202) 691-7705.

Technical Note

               Brief Explanation of Producer Price Indexes

     The Producer Price Index (PPI) of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
is a family of indexes that measure the average change over time in the
prices received by domestic producers of goods and services.  PPIs measure
price change from the perspective of the seller.  This contrasts with other
measures, such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI).  CPIs measure price
change from the purchaser's perspective.  Sellers' and purchasers' prices
can differ due to government subsidies, sales and excise taxes, and
distribution costs.

     More than 8,000 PPIs for individual products and groups of products
are released each month.  PPIs are available for the products of virtually
every industry in the mining and manufacturing sectors of the U.S. economy.
New PPIs are gradually being introduced for the products of industries in
the construction, trade, finance, and services sectors of the economy.

     More than 100,000 price quotations per month are organized into three
sets of PPIs:  (1) Stage-of-processing indexes, (2) commodity indexes, and
(3) indexes for the net output of industries and their products.  The stage-
of-processing structure organizes products by class of buyer and degree of
fabrication.  The commodity structure organizes products by similarity of
end use or material composition.  The entire output of various industries
is sampled to derive price indexes for the net output of industries and
their products.
     
                        Stage-of-Processing Indexes
                                     
     Within the stage-of-processing system, finished goods are commodities
that will not undergo further processing and are ready for sale to the
final-demand user, either an individual consumer or business firm.
Consumer foods include unprocessed foods such as eggs and fresh vegetables,
as well as processed foods such as bakery products and meats.  Other
finished consumer goods include durable goods such as automobiles,
household furniture, and appliances, as well as nondurable goods such as
apparel and home heating oil.  Capital equipment includes durable goods
such as heavy motor trucks, tractors, and machine tools.

     The stage-of-processing category for intermediate materials, supplies,
and components consists partly of commodities that have been processed but
require further processing.  Examples of such semifinished goods include
flour, cotton yarn, steel mill products, and lumber.  The intermediate
goods category also encompasses nondurable, physically complete items
purchased by business firms as inputs for their operations.  Examples
include diesel fuel, belts and belting, paper boxes, and fertilizers.

     Crude materials for further processing are products entering the
market for the first time that have not been manufactured or fabricated and
that are not sold directly to consumers.  Crude foodstuffs and feedstuffs
include items such as grains and livestock.  Examples of crude nonfood
materials include raw cotton, crude petroleum, coal, hides and skins, and
iron and steel scrap.
                                     
                             Commodity Indexes

     The commodity classification structure of the PPI organizes products
by similarity of end use or material composition, disregarding industry of
origin.  Fifteen major commodity groupings (two-digit commodity codes) make
up the All Commodities Index. Each major commodity grouping includes (in
descending order of aggregation) subgroups (three-digit codes), product
classes (four-digit codes), subproduct classes (six-digit codes), item 
groupings (seven-digit codes) and individual items (eight-digit codes).  
                                     
                     Industry Net-Output Price Indexes
                                     
     PPIs for the net output of industries and their products are grouped
according to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).
Prior to the release of January 2004, industry-based PPIs were published
according to the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system.  Industry
price indexes are compatible with other economic time series organized by
industry, such as data on employment, wages, and productivity.  Table 5 of
the PPI Detailed Report includes data for NAICS industries and industry
groups (3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-digit codes); Census product classes (7- and 8-
digit codes), products (9-digit codes), and more detailed subproducts (11-
digit codes); and, for some industries, indexes for other sources of
revenue.

     Indexes may represent one of three kinds of product categories.  Every
industry has primary product indexes to show changes in prices received by
establishments classified in the industry for products made primarily, but
not necessarily exclusively, by that industry.  The industry classification
of an establishment is determined by which products make up a plurality of
its total shipment value.  In addition, most industries have secondary
product indexes that show changes in prices received by establishments
classified in the industry for products chiefly made in some other
industry.  Finally, some industries have miscellaneous receipts indexes to
show price changes in other sources of revenue received by establishments
within the industry that are not derived from sales of their products-for
example, resales of purchased materials, or revenues from parking lots
owned by a manufacturing plant.
                                     
                              Data Collection
                                     
     PPIs are based on selling prices reported by establishments of all
sizes selected by probability sampling, with the probability of selection
proportionate to size.  Individual items and transaction terms from these
firms also are chosen by probability proportionate to size.  BLS strongly
encourages cooperating companies to supply actual transaction prices at the
time of shipment to minimize the use of list prices.  Prices submitted by
survey respondents are effective on the Tuesday of the week containing the
13th day of the month.  This survey is conducted primarily through the
mail.

     Price data are provided on a voluntary and confidential basis; only
sworn BLS employees are allowed access to individual company price reports.
BLS publishes price indexes instead of actual prices.  All PPIs are subject
to revision 4 months after original publication to reflect the availability
of late reports and corrections by respondents.

     BLS periodically updates the PPI sample of survey respondents to
better reflect current conditions when the structure, membership,
technology, or product mix of an industry shifts significantly and to
spread reporting burden among smaller firms.  Results of these resampling
efforts are incorporated into the PPI with the release of data for January
and July.

     As part of an ongoing effort to expand coverage to sectors of the
economy other than mining and manufacturing, an increasing number of
service sector industries have been introduced into the PPI.  The following
list of recently introduced industries includes the month and year in which
an article describing the industry's content appeared in the PPI Detailed
Report.

                                                                      PPI
                                                                      Detailed
                                                                      Report
              Title                                           Code    Issue

                                                              SIC             
Wireless telecommunications...................................4812    July 1999
Telephone communications, except radio telephone..............4813    July 1995
Television broadcasting.......................................4833    July 2002
Grocery stores................................................5411    July 2000
Meat and fish (seafood) markets...............................5421    July 2000
Fruit and vegetable markets...................................5431    July 2000
Candy, nut, and confectionery stores..........................5441    July 2000
Retail bakeries...............................................5461    July 2000
Miscellaneous food stores.....................................5499    July 2000
New car dealers...............................................5511    July 2000
Gasoline service stations.....................................5541    January 2002
Boat dealers..................................................5551    January 2002
Recreational vehicle dealers..................................5561    January 2002
Miscellaneous retail..........................................59      January 2001
Security brokers, dealers, and investment bankers.............6211    January 2001
Investment advice.............................................6282    January 2003
Life insurance carriers.......................................6311    January 1999
Property and casualty insurance...............................6331    July 1998
Insurance agencies and brokerages.............................6412    January 2003
Operators and lessors of nonresidential buildings.............6512    January 1996
Real estate agents and managers...............................6531    January 1996
Prepackaged software..........................................7372    January 1998
Data processing services......................................7374    January 2002
Home health care services.....................................8082    January 1997
Legal services................................................8111    January 1997
Engineering design, analysis, and consulting services.........8711    January 1997
Architectural design, analysis, and consulting services.......8712    January 1997
Premiums for property and casualty insurance..................9331    July 1998
                                                         
                                                              NAICS            
New industrial building construction..........................236211  January 2008
New warehouse building construction...........................236221  July 2005
New school construction.......................................236222  July 2006
New office construction.......................................236223  January 2007
Concrete contractors, nonresidential building work............23811X  July 2008
Roofing contractors, nonresidential building work.............23816X  July 2008
Electrical contractors, nonresidential building work..........23821X  July 2008
Plumbing / HVAC contractors, nonresidential building work.....23822X  July 2008
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods...........................423     July 2005
Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods........................424     July 2005
Wholesale trade agents and brokers............................425120  July 2005
Furniture and home furnishings stores.........................442     January 2004
Electronics and appliance stores..............................443     January 2004
Building  material and garden equipment and supplies dealers..444     January 2004
Clothing and clothing accessories stores......................448     January 2004
Sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores.................451     January 2004
General merchandise stores....................................452     January 2004
Miscellaneous store retailers.................................453     January 2004
Internet service providers....................................518111  July 2005
Web search portals............................................518112  July 2005
Commercial banking............................................522110  January 2005
Savings institutions..........................................522120  January 2005
Direct health and medical insurance carriers..................524114  July 2004
Construction, mining, and forestry machinery and equipment 
rental and leasing............................................532412  January 2005
Management consulting services................................541610  January 2007
Security guards and patrol services...........................561612  July 2005
Computer training.............................................611420  July 2007
Blood and organ banks.........................................621991  January 2007
Amusement and theme parks.....................................713110  July 2006
Golf courses and country clubs................................713910  July 2006
Fitness and recreational sports centers.......................713940  July 2005
Commercial machinery repair and maintenance...................811310  July 2007
                                     
                                  Weights

     Weights for most traditional commodity groupings of the PPI, as well
as weights for commodity-based aggregate indexes calculated using traditional 
commodity groupings, such as stage-of-processing indexes, currently reflect
2002 values of shipments as reported in the Census of Manufactures and 
other sources. From January 2002 through December 2006, PPI weights were 
derived from 1997 shipment values.  Industry indexes now are calculated 
with 2002 weights and 1997 net output ratios.  This periodic update of
the value weights used to calculate the PPI is done to more accurately
reflect changes in production and marketing patterns in the economy.  Net
output values of shipments are used as weights for industry indexes.  Net
output values refer to the value of shipments from establishments within
the industry to buyers outside the industry.  However, weights for
commodity price indexes are based on gross shipment values, including
values of shipments between establishments within the same industry.  As a
result, broad commodity grouping indexes, such as the PPI for All
Commodities, are affected by the multiple counting of price change at
successive stages of processing, which can lead to exaggerated or
misleading signals about inflation.  Stage-of-processing indexes partially
correct for this defect, but industry indexes consistently correct for this
at all levels of aggregation.  Therefore, industry and stage-of-processing
indexes are more appropriate than broad commodity groupings for economic
analysis of general price trends.
     
                        Price Index Reference Base
                                     
     Effective with publication of January 1988 data, many important PPI
series (including stage-of-processing groupings and most commodity groups
and individual items) were placed on a new reference base, 1982 = 100.
From 1971 through 1987, the standard reference base for most PPI series was
1967 = 100.  Except for rounding differences, the shift to the new
reference base did not alter any previously published percent changes for
affected PPI series.  (See "Calculating Index Changes," below.)  The 1982
reference base is not used for commodity indexes with a base later than
December 1981 or for industry net output indexes and their products.

     For further information on the underlying concepts and methodology of
the Producer Price Index, see chapter 14, "Producer Prices," in BLS
Handbook of Methods (April  1997), Bulletin 2490.  This document can be
downloaded from the BLS Web site at (www.bls.gov/opub/hom/homch14_itc.htm).
Reprints are available on request.

                         Calculating Index Changes
                                     
     Each PPI measures price changes from a reference period that equals
100.0.  An increase of 5.5 percent from the reference period in the
Finished Goods Price Index, for example, is shown as 105.5.  This change
also can be expressed in dollars, as follows:  prices received by domestic
producers of a sample of finished goods have risen from $100 in 1982 to
$105.50.  Likewise, a current index of 90.0 would indicate that prices
received by producers of finished goods are 10 percent lower than they were
in 1982.

     Movements of price indexes from one month to another are usually
expressed as percent changes, rather than as changes in index points.
Index point changes are affected by the level of the index in relation to
its base period, whereas percent changes are not.  The following example
shows the computation of index point and percent changes.
     
          Index point change
     Finished Goods Price Index        107.5
     Less previous index               104.0
     Equals index point change           3.5

          Index percent change
     Index point change 3.5
     Divided by the previous index     104.0
     Equals                              0.034
     Result multiplied by 100            0.034 x 100
     Equals percent change               3.4


                  Seasonally Adjusted and Unadjusted Data

     Because price data are used for different purposes by different
groups, BLS publishes seasonally adjusted and unadjusted changes each
month.  Seasonally adjusted data are preferred for analyzing general price
trends in the economy because these data eliminate the effect of changes
that normally occur at about the same time, and in about the same
magnitude, every year-such as price movements resulting from normal weather
patterns, regular production and marketing cycles, model changeovers,
seasonal discounts, and holidays.  For these reasons, seasonally adjusted
data more clearly reveal underlying cyclical trends.  Unadjusted data are
of primary interest to users who need information that can be related to
actual dollar values of transactions.  Individuals requiring this
information include marketing specialists, purchasing agents, budget and
cost analysts, contract specialists, and commodity traders.  It is the
unadjusted data that are generally cited when escalating long-term
contracts such as purchasing agreements or real estate leases.  For more
information, see Escalation and Producer Price Indexes: A Guide for
Contracting Parties, BLS Report 807, September 1991, on the Web at
(www.bls.gov/ppi/ppiescalation.htm).  Reprints are available on request.

     In 1998, the PPI implemented the X-12-ARIMA Seasonal Adjustment
Method; prior to that year, the PPI employed the X-11 method.  Each year,
the seasonal status of most commodity indexes is reevaluated to reflect
more recent price behavior.  Industry net output indexes are not seasonally
adjusted.  For time series that exhibit seasonal pricing patterns, new
seasonal factors are estimated and applied to the unadjusted data for the
previous 5 years.  These updated seasonally adjusted indexes replace the
most recent 5 years of seasonal data.

     Seasonal factors may be applied to series using either a direct or an
aggregative method.  Generally, commodity indexes are seasonally adjusted
using direct seasonal adjustment, which produces a more complete
elimination of seasonal movements than does the aggregative method.
However, the direct seasonal adjustment process may not yield figures that
possess additive consistency.  Thus, a seasonally adjusted index for a
broad category that is directly adjusted may not be logically consistent
with all seasonally adjusted indexes for its components.  Seasonal
movements for stage-of-processing indexes are derived indirectly through an
aggregative method that combines movements of a wide variety of subproduct
class (six-digit) series.

     Seasonally adjusted indexes can become problematic when previously
stable and predictable price patterns abruptly change.  If the new pattern
persists, the seasonal adjustment method will eventually reflect it
adequately; if the pattern keeps shifting, however, seasonally adjusted
data will become chronically troublesome.  This problem occurs relatively
infrequently for farm and food-related products, but has more often
affected manufactured products such as automobiles and steel.

     Since January 1988, the PPI has used Intervention Analysis Seasonal
Adjustment methods to enhance the calculation of seasonal factors.  With
this technique, outlier values that may distort the seasonal pattern are
removed from the data prior to applying the standard seasonal factor
estimation procedure.  For example, a possible economic cause for large
price movements for petroleum-based products might have been the Persian
Gulf War.  In this case, intervention techniques allowed for better
estimates of seasonally adjusted data.  On the whole, very few series have
required intervention.  Out of nearly 800 seasonally adjusted series, only
16 were subject to intervention in 2008.

     For more information relating to seasonal adjustment methods, see (1)
"Appendix A: Seasonal Adjustment Methodology at BLS," in the BLS Handbook
of Methods (April 1997), Bulletin 2490 and (2) "Summary of Changes to the
PPI's Seasonal Adjustment Methodology" in the January 1995 issue of
Producer Price Indexes.

                 Producer Price Index Data on the Internet

     In 1995, the BLS began posting PPI series, news releases, and
technical information to both a World Wide Web (WWW) site and a file
transfer protocol (FTP) site.  During the years following the introduction
of PPI Internet services, use of these sites eclipsed more traditional
methods of data dissemination, such as subscriptions to the PPI Detailed
Report.  There were more than 2.1 million instances of PPI series being
downloaded from the Internet during the 12 months ended December 31, 2007.

                 Retrieving PPI data from the PPI Web site
                                     
     PPI data can be obtained from the WWW address (www.bls.gov/ppi).
Clicking on the "PPI Databases" link reveals the following methods of data 
retrieval:
     
     Top picks is a form-based application for both industry Data and 
Commodity Data that allows the user to quickly obtain PPI time series data 
by selecting the most commonly requested time series, including the All 
Commodities Index and the stage-of-processing indexes (for example, Finished 
Goods).  Within each list, any one-or all-of the time series shown can be 
selected.  A user can modify the date range and output options after executing 
the query, using the reformat button above the data output table.

     One-Screen Data Search and Multi-Screen Data Search are form-based query 
applications for both Industry Data and Commodity Data designed for users 
unfamiliar with the PPI coding structure.  These applications guide a user 
through the PPI classification system by listing index titles and does not 
require knowledge of commodity or industry codes.  Data retrieved are based on 
a query formulated by selecting data characteristics from lists provided.  Two 
options are available to create customized tables, depending on a user's browser 
capability.  The one-screen option is a JavaScript application that uses a 
single screen to guide a user through the available time series data.  The 
second option is a multiple-screen, non-Java-based application.  Both methods 
allow a user to browse the PPI coding structure and select multiple series codes.  
Using the one-screen option, users can modify the date range and output options 
after executing the query using the reformat button above the data output table.

     Series Report is a form-based application that uses formatted PPI time
series identifiers (commodity or industry codes) as input in extracting
data according to a specified set of date ranges and output options.  This
application provides the most efficient path for users who are familiar
with the format of PPI time series identifiers.  Up to 300 indexes can be
extracted at a time.

     There are five alphabetic prefixes used to create unique PPI time
series identifiers:  WP, WD, PC, PD, and ND.  Each provides the user access
to a different PPI database.  Adding either a "u" (not seasonally adjusted)
or an "s" (seasonally adjusted) to the end of these prefixes further
specifies the type of data needed.

     For commodity and stage-of-processing indexes, series identifiers
combine a "wpu" prefix (not seasonally adjusted) or a "wps" prefix
(seasonally adjusted) with a commodity code.
  
Commodity code            Provides data for:
wps141101                 Passenger cars, seasonally adjusted
wpu141101                 Passenger cars, not seasonally adjusted
wpusop3000                Finished goods, not seasonally adjusted
     
     For discontinued commodity indexes, series identifiers combine a "wdu"
prefix (not seasonally adjusted) or a "wds" prefix (seasonally adjusted)
with a commodity code.
     
Commodity code            Provides data for:
wds019                    Other farm products, seasonally adjusted
wdu0635                   Preparations, ethical (prescription), not seasonally
                          adjusted
wdusi138011               Stainless steel mill products, not seasonally adjusted
     
     Current price indexes grouped by industry according to NAICS have series 
identifiers that begin with the prefix "pcu." After the prefix, there are 12 
digits (the 6-digit industry code is listed twice) followed by up to 7 
alphanumeric characters identifying product detail.  Dashes are used as 
placeholders for higher-level industry group codes.

Industry-product code,
current NAICS series       Provides data for:
pcu325---325---            Chemical manufacturing, not seasonally
                           adjusted
pcu336110336110            Automobile and light duty motor vehicle
                           manufacturing
pcu621111621111411         Offices of physicians, one- and two-physician practices and
                           single-specialty group practices, general/family practice
pcu325412325412A           Pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing, pharmaceuticals 
                           acting on the respiratory system                    
  
     Discontinued industry-product codes based on SIC combine a "pdu"
prefix and "#" between the fourth and fifth characters of the product code.
Series identifiers for the discontinued dataset use underscores as
placeholders to complete a reference to an SIC industry group code of fewer
than four digits.  (All PPI industry-based indexes organized by SIC were
discontinued with the introduction of NAICS.)
  
Industry-product code,
discontinued SIC series    Provides data for:
pdu28__#                   Chemicals and allied products, not seasonally adjusted
pdu331_#                   Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling and
                           finishing mills, not seasonally adjusted
pdu3711#111                Passenger cars
  
     Price indexes for discontinued series grouped by industry according to
NAICS have series identifiers that begin with the prefix "ndu." After the
prefix, there are 12 numeric digits (the 6-digit industry code is listed
twice), and up to 7 additional alphanumeric characters that identify
product detail.  Dashes are used as placeholders for higher-level industry
group codes.
  
Industry-product code,
discontinued NAICS series  Provides data for:
ndu212231212231            Lead ore and zinc ore mining
ndu2122312122312           Lead and zinc concentrates
ndu212231212231214         Lead concentrates

     Text Files (FTP) and the FTP server are best suited for users requiring
access to either a large volume of time series data or other PPI-related
documentation (such as seasonal factor and relative importance tables).
The FTP site can be accessed at ftp://ftp.bls.gov or directly from the
links on the "PPI Databases" page or the PPI homepage.  Data and
documentation available for download include the following:

                                      Directory:
Industry Data                         /pub/time.series/pc
Industry Data - Discontinued           
		      NAICS basis		  /pub/time.series/nd
		      SIC basis           /pub/time.series/pd
Commodity Data                        /pub/time.series/wp
Commodity Data, Discontinued        
                Series                /pub/time.series/wd
Special requests                      /pub/special.requests/ppi
Latest news release                   /pub/news.release/ppi.txt

     The FTP site maintains files to help with searches and downloads.
These files are centrally located in the /pub/doc directory.  Within this
directory, the overview.txt file contains an overview relating to all BLS
data available through the FTP site.  For current commodity-based PPI data,
the program help file is wp.txt; for discontinued commodity series, wd.txt;
for current industry-based PPI data based on NAICS, pc.txt; for industry-
based SIC time series that have been discontinued, pd.txt; and for industry-
based NAICS series that have been discontinued, nd.txt.
      
     Users who prefer downloading PPI datasets as individual ZIP files
should go to the directory labeled /pub/time.series/compressed/tape.format/
on the FTP site.  This directory includes six PPI-specific ZIP files, one
for each of the PPI databases-WP, WD, PC, ND, and PD-and a ZIP file for the
annual 5-year revision to historical seasonal PPIs.
                                     
                         Other Sources of PPI Data

     PPI data can also be accessed via the BLS homepage (www.bls.gov).
Clicking on the "Get Detailed Statistics" link at the top of the homepage
calls up a chart listing all available BLS programs.  

                          Additional information

     The PPI homepage (www.bls.gov/ppi) contains additional information
regarding PPI data and methodology.  The top section of the homepage
provides PPI news releases, both current and archived, as well as general
PPI information.  The "Tables Created by BLS" section found beneath the
statistics section provides relative importance and seasonal factor tables.
The remaining sections offer special notices and publications pertaining to
PPI methodology and applications.
     
     For questions or comments regarding PPI data classification,
methodology, or data availability on the Internet, call or e-mail the
Section of Index Analysis and Public Information at (202) 691-7705 or ppi-
info@bls.gov.