Prices received by domestic producers of cars and light trucks, 2006

The Producer Price Index (PPI) for light motor trucks rose 1.5 percent in 2006, after having fallen 5.9 percent a year earlier. Passenger car prices edged down 0.3 percent, following a 3.4-percent decline in 2005.

[Chart data—TXT]

The upturn in light truck prices occurred despite a decline in U.S. retail sales of North American production. U.S. retail sales totaled 7.377 million units in 2006, compared with 8.065 million units in 2005, a drop of 8.5 percent. By contrast, U.S. retail sales of light trucks produced outside North America jumped 10.8 percent, to 1.347 million units sold.

For the passenger car segment, much the same occurred: U.S. retail sales of North American production declined 0.8 percent in 2006, to 5.436 million units, and U.S. retail sales of passenger cars produced outside North America increased 7.2 percent, to 2.345 million units.

These data are from the BLS Producer Price Index program. Annual percent changes are December to December. Learn more in "Price highlights, 2006: energy goods retreat, moderating producer prices," (PDF) by Tammy Hredzak, Joseph Kowal, Antonio Lombardozzi, and William Snyders, Monthly Labor Review, July/August 2007.