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Producer Price Index News Release
Transmission of material in this release is embargoed until                          USDL-12-1833
8:30 a.m. (EDT), Thursday, September 13, 2012
Technical information:      (202) 691-7705  *  ppi-info@bls.gov  *  www.bls.gov/ppi
Media contact:              (202) 691-5902  *  PressOffice@bls.gov
PRODUCER PRICE INDEXES - AUGUST 2012
The Producer Price Index for finished goods rose 1.7 percent in August, seasonally adjusted, the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This increase followed advances of 0.3 percent in
July and 0.1 percent in June, and marks the largest monthly rise since a 1.9-percent increase in
June 2009. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by manufacturers of intermediate
goods moved up 1.1 percent in August, and the crude goods index rose 5.8 percent. On an
unadjusted basis, prices for finished goods climbed 2.0 percent for the 12 months ended August
2012, the largest advance since a 2.8-percent increase for the 12 months ended March 2012. (See
table A.)
Table A. Monthly and 12-month percent changes in selected stage-of-processing price indexes, seasonally adjusted
Except foods
and energy
from 12 months
ago (unadj.)
0.2 1.0 -0.4 0.2 6.6 -0.5 -0.9
-0.3 0.1 -1.5 0.0 5.8 -1.0 -1.7
0.1 1.0 -0.3 0.1 5.6 -0.1 1.9
-0.1 -0.7 -0.3 0.2 4.7 -0.2 -0.6
0.3 -0.1 -0.2 0.6 4.1 0.0 1.1
0.4 -0.2 1.8 0.1 3.4 0.7 0.9
-0.2 0.1 -1.2 0.2 2.8 0.8 -2.7
Apr.(1)
(1) Some of the figures shown above and elsewhere in this release may differ from those previously reported because data for April 2012 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and corrections by respondents.
Stage-of-Processing Analysis
In August, over eighty percent of the broad-based rise in finished goods prices is attributable to
the index for finished energy goods, which jumped 6.4 percent. Also contributing to the increase
in finished goods prices, the index for finished consumer foods climbed 0.9 percent, and prices
for finished goods less foods and energy advanced 0.2 percent.
Finished energy:  The index for finished energy goods moved up 6.4 percent in August, the
largest advance since a 6.7-percent jump in August 2009. Most of the rise in August 2012 can be
traced to a 13.6-percent surge in gasoline prices. The indexes for home heating oil and liquefied
petroleum gas also were factors in the advance in prices for finished energy goods. (See table 2.)
Finished foods:  The index for finished consumer foods climbed 0.9 percent in August, the
largest rise since a 1.0-percent increase in November 2011. About one-third of the August
advance is attributable to prices for dairy products, which jumped 3.0 percent. Higher prices for
eggs for fresh use also were a major factor in the rise in the finished consumer foods index.
Finished core:  The index for finished goods less foods and energy moved up 0.2 percent in
August after increasing 0.4 percent in July. Over thirty percent of the August rise can be traced
to a 0.5-percent advance in prices for pharmaceutical preparations.
Intermediate goods
The Producer Price Index for intermediate materials, supplies, and components moved up 1.1
percent in August following four consecutive declines. Most of this increase can be attributed to
higher prices for intermediate energy goods, which climbed 4.4 percent. The index for
intermediate foods and feeds rose 2.4 percent. By contrast, prices for intermediate materials less
foods and energy moved down 0.2 percent. On a 12-month basis, the index for intermediate
goods declined 1.1 percent, the fourth straight month of year-over-year decreases. (See table B.)
Intermediate energy:  The index for intermediate energy goods moved up 4.4 percent in August
after four straight declines. A major factor in this increase was a 4.9-percent rise in the diesel fuel
index. Higher prices for gasoline and jet fuel also contributed significantly to the advance in the
intermediate energy goods index. (See table 2.)
Intermediate foods:  Prices for intermediate foods and feeds rose 2.4 percent in August, the
third consecutive increase. About three-quarters of the August advance can be traced to the
index for prepared animal feeds, which moved up 6.6 percent. An increase in prices for processed
eggs also contributed to the rise in the intermediate foods index.
Intermediate core:  Prices for intermediate goods less foods and energy edged down 0.2 percent
in August, the fourth straight decline. Nearly half of the August decrease can be attributed to the
index for hot rolled steel sheet and strip, which fell 8.3 percent.
Crude goods
The Producer Price Index for crude materials for further processing jumped 5.8 percent in
August. For the 3-month period ended in August, prices for crude materials advanced 3.8
percent after dropping 10.0 percent from February to May. In August, the monthly increase in
the crude goods index was broad based and led by prices for crude energy materials, which
surged 9.7 percent. The indexes for crude foodstuffs and feedstuffs and for crude nonfood
materials less energy rose 4.6 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively. (See table B.)
Crude energy:  Prices for crude energy materials increased 9.7 percent in August. From May to
August the index for crude energy goods moved up 4.7 percent subsequent to a 19.9-percent
drop for the 3 months ended in May. The monthly advance in August was mostly attributable to
crude petroleum prices, which rose 12.8 percent. The indexes for natural gas and coal also
contributed to higher crude energy goods prices. (See table 2.)
Crude foods:  The index for crude foodstuffs and feedstuffs moved up 4.6 percent in August.
For the 3 months ended in August, prices for crude foods jumped 8.3 percent compared with a
3.0-percent decline from February to May. Forty percent of the monthly advance in the crude
foods index can be traced to prices for grains, which rose 6.1 percent. Higher prices for slaughter
steers and heifers also contributed to the increase in the crude foods index.
Crude core:  Prices for crude nonfood materials less energy advanced 2.2 percent in August.
From May to August the crude core index decreased 3.0 percent following a 2.6-percent decline
in the prior 3-month period. In August, a 9.6-percent rise in prices for carbon steel scrap
accounted for most of the monthly increase in the crude core index.
Table B. Monthly and 12-month percent changes in selected price indexes for intermediate goods and crude goods, seasonally adjusted
goods from
1.4 -2.3 -0.1 10.3 3.4 -6.1 0.6 18.6
0.7 2.3 0.0 10.4 -0.7 5.1 0.0 20.0
-1.1 -2.2 -0.6 8.0 -1.9 -0.1 -4.3 12.8
-0.1 0.5 -0.4 7.2 1.2 4.4 -2.0 14.4
-0.8 0.8 -0.6 5.7 -2.9 1.6 -0.6 6.6
-0.1 -0.9 0.4 4.3 1.9 -0.6 2.3 4.3
-0.2 0.8 0.7 3.3 0.2 1.8 -0.3 1.0
0.6 1.3 0.7 2.9 2.7 -9.0 0.4 0.2
0.3 -3.0 0.2 1.0 -3.5 -7.1 -1.8 -7.4
-0.1 -3.1 -0.1 -0.6 -2.2 -5.3 -1.2 -7.7
1.0 -0.2 -0.7 -1.3 -1.6 -5.1 -4.0 -11.4
1.4 -1.6 -0.9 -2.6 5.2 0.6 -1.1 -9.6
2.4 4.4 -0.2 -1.1 4.6 9.7 2.2 -3.5
Services Analysis
Trade industries:  The Producer Price Index for the net output of total trade industries declined
1.3 percent in August, the largest decrease since a 1.4-percent drop in June 2010. (Trade indexes
measure changes in margins received by wholesalers and retailers.) Leading the August decline,
margins received by merchant wholesalers of durable goods moved down 1.7 percent. Lower
margins received by gasoline stations and department stores also contributed to the decrease in
the total trade industries index.
Transportation and warehousing industries:  The Producer Price Index for the net output of
transportation and warehousing industries moved up 0.4 percent in August following a 0.4-
percent decline in July. Over half of this advance can be attributed to a 1.3-percent rise in prices
received by the scheduled passenger air transportation industry. Higher prices received by the
truck transportation industry group and by the general warehousing and storage industry also
were factors in the increase in the transportation and warehousing industries index.
Traditional service industries:  The Producer Price Index for the net output of total traditional
service industries advanced 0.6 percent in August after no change in the prior month. Leading
this rise, prices received by the industry group for hospitals climbed 1.6 percent. Higher prices
received by the industry groups for depository credit intermediation and for securities,
commodity contracts, and related financial investment services also contributed to the increase in
the total traditional service industries index.
The Producer Price Index for September 2012 is scheduled to be released on Friday,
October 12, 2012 at 8:30 a.m. (EDT).
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 9,000 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 goods and
services by similarity of material composition or end use, disregarding
their industry of origin.  Table 6 of the PPI Detailed Report includes data
for commodity indexes, organized in a hierarchal structure, including major
commodity groupings (two-digit commodity codes),  subgroups (three-digit
codes), product classes (four-digit codes), subproduct classes (five- and
six-digit codes), item groupings (seven-digit codes) and individual items
(eight-, nine-, and ten-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.
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 via mail, fax, and the Internet.
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 industries introduced since the mid-1990s includes the month and year in which
an article describing the industry's content appeared in the PPI Detailed
Report.
Title                                           Code    Issue
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
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
Internet publishing and web search portals....................519130  January 2010
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
Offices of dentists...........................................621210  January 2011
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 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
2007 values of shipments as reported in the Census of Manufactures and
other sources. From January 2007 through December 2011, PPI weights were
derived from 2002 shipment values.  Industry indexes now are calculated
under the 2012 NAICS structure utilizing with 2007 value of shipment weights and
2002 net output ratios.  The 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 (which is
comprised of major commodity groupings 01 through 15), 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 (July 2010).  This document can be
downloaded from the BLS Web site at (www.bls.gov/opub/hom/homch14.htm).
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
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).
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 over 300 seasonally adjusted series, only
27 were subject to intervention in 2011.
For more information relating to seasonal adjustment methods, see (1)
"Appendix A: Seasonal Adjustment Methodology at BLS," in the BLS Handbook
of Methods (July 2010) 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, 2008.
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.
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.
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
pcu336110336110            Automobile and light duty motor vehicle
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.)
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.
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 "Databases & Tools" link at the top of the homepage
calls up a chart listing all available BLS programs.
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.
Table 1. Producer price indexes and percent changes by stage of processing
[1982=100]
Unadjusted index
Unadjusted
Aug. 2012 from:
percent change from:
May to
June to
July to
100.000 194.9 193.1 195.5 2.0 1.2 0.1 0.3 1.7
Finished consumer goods
73.330 208.5 205.8 209.1 2.0 1.6 0.0 0.2 2.3
Finished consumer foods
1.402 165.6 162.9 174.9 3.4 7.4 2.9 0.3 6.7
Finished consumer goods, excluding foods
54.552 211.2 207.3 211.2 2.0 1.9 -0.2 0.2 2.7
Nondurable goods less foods
Capital equipment
Manufacturing industries
Nonmanufacturing industries
Intermediate materials, supplies, and components
100.000 203.0 198.7 200.6 -1.1 1.0 -0.5 -0.9 1.1
Materials and components for manufacturing
44.573 192.7 186.6 186.6 -3.2 0.0 -1.3 -1.4 0.0
Materials for food manufacturing
Materials for nondurable manufacturing
Materials for durable manufacturing
9.345 203.0 197.1 195.4 -5.7 -0.9 -1.0 -1.4 -0.8
Components for manufacturing
Materials and components for construction
9.136 218.3 218.2 218.5 1.8 0.1 0.0 -0.1 0.2
Processed fuels and lubricants
21.619 216.9 209.0 216.7 -1.3 3.7 0.2 -1.3 4.2
5.475 212.3 214.3 219.3 -1.3 2.3 2.7 0.0 2.9
2.478 207.0 205.3 205.4 -0.2 0.0 -0.4 -0.6 -0.1
2.833 183.8 183.3 181.9 0.0 -0.8 -0.2 -0.2 -0.7
1.558 210.6 231.7 247.6 18.0 6.9 2.3 2.9 7.8
Crude materials for further processing
100.000 242.0 232.2 242.4 -3.5 4.4 -3.6 1.8 5.8
Foodstuffs and feedstuffs
Nonfood materials
Nonfood materials except fuel(3)
1.858 212.5 212.8 212.3 2.4 -0.2 0.3 -0.2 -0.2
Crude fuel(4)
14.433 126.9 140.6 149.2 -21.5 6.1 5.6 7.1 6.5
0.546 174.5 181.0 186.2 -12.0 2.9 0.5 3.9 3.4
Special groupings
Finished goods, excluding foods
(5)81.222 193.4 191.1 193.5 1.9 1.3 -0.1 0.2 1.9
Intermediate materials less foods and feeds
(6)92.396 203.4 198.4 200.0 -1.5 0.8 -0.6 -1.1 0.9
Intermediate foods and feeds
(6)7.604 196.2 201.5 206.3 4.2 2.4 1.0 1.4 2.4
Crude materials less agricultural products(3)(7)
Finished energy goods
(5)22.631 198.5 188.4 196.4 0.4 4.2 -0.9 -0.4 6.4
Finished goods less energy
(5)77.369 185.2 185.9 186.5 2.4 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4
Finished consumer goods less energy
Finished goods less foods and energy
Finished consumer goods less foods and energy
Consumer nondurable goods less foods and energy
Intermediate energy goods
Intermediate materials less energy
Intermediate materials less foods and energy
(6)69.402 194.9 191.4 191.0 -1.6 -0.2 -0.7 -0.9 -0.2
Crude energy materials(3)
(8)39.792 220.5 203.2 219.9 -4.8 8.2 -5.1 0.6 9.7
Crude materials less energy
Crude nonfood materials less energy(4)
(8)24.589 382.7 354.1 360.0 -10.5 1.7 -4.0 -1.1 2.2
(1) Comprehensive relative importance figures are initially computed after the publication of December indexes and are recalculated after final December indexes are available. Individual items and subtotals may not add exactly to totals because of rounding differences.
(2) The indexes for April 2012 have been recalculated to incorporate late reports and corrections by respondents. All indexes are subject to revision 4 months after original publication.
(3) Includes crude petroleum.
(4) Excludes crude petroleum.
(5) Percent of total finished goods.
(6) Percent of total intermediate materials.
(7) Formerly titled "Crude materials for further processing, excluding crude foodstuffs and feedstuffs, plant and animal fibers, oilseeds, and leaf tobacco."
(8) Percent of total crude materials.
Table 2. Producer price indexes and percent changes for selected commodity groupings by stage of processing
[1982=100, unless otherwise indicated]
percent change to
Seasonally adjusted percent
194.9 193.1 195.5 2.0 1.2 0.1 0.3 1.7
Fresh fruits and melons(2)
119.7 113.4 112.5 -2.2 -0.8 3.1 -1.1 -0.8
Fresh and dry vegetables(2)
157.8 155.0 166.4 -0.8 7.4 2.1 -6.2 7.4
Eggs for fresh use (Dec 1991=100)
132.7 127.2 167.6 12.7 31.8 6.7 0.6 22.8
260.4 260.9 260.7 2.4 -0.1 0.5 0.0 0.2
Milled rice(2)
195.9 199.8 203.5 2.9 1.9 -0.2 -0.2 1.9
Pasta products (June 1985=100)(2)
Beef and veal
197.3 204.5 200.0 8.0 -2.2 4.9 3.8 -3.2
146.0 156.5 161.6 -5.2 3.3 3.6 5.3 1.4
Processed young chickens
164.9 164.9 166.3 16.3 0.8 -0.4 -2.2 2.0
Processed turkeys
148.1 140.8 142.9 -4.5 1.5 -2.8 -1.5 2.2
Finfish and shellfish
296.1 283.1 282.2 -1.2 -0.3 3.8 -1.9 1.0
Dairy products(2)
185.8 186.3 191.9 -8.1 3.0 -0.7 1.4 3.0
Confectionery end products(2)
258.8 259.9 260.3 3.2 0.2 0.1 -0.3 0.2
Soft drinks(2)
193.9 192.6 193.2 3.2 0.3 -1.0 1.0 0.3
Roasted coffee(2)
Shortening and cooking oils
299.4 298.9 291.6 -5.9 -2.4 0.7 2.1 -1.5
Frozen specialties(2)
Finished consumer goods excluding foods
Women's, girls', & infants' apparel (Dec 2003=100)(2)
Men's and boys' apparel (Dec 2003=100)(2)
Textile housefurnishings(2)
175.8 178.8 178.3 5.1 -0.3 -0.2 1.5 -0.3
Residential electric power (Dec 1990=100)
Residential gas (Dec 1990=100)
174.5 181.1 183.1 -10.1 1.1 3.5 1.0 1.0
327.2 288.4 310.5 4.3 7.7 1.9 -3.1 13.6
Home heating oil and distillates
300.6 264.1 302.8 9.0 14.7 -8.3 -0.1 10.8
Pharmaceutical preparations (June 2001=100)
Soaps and detergents(2)
Cleaning and polishing products (June 1983=100)(2)
Cosmetics and other toilet preparations(2)
Tires, tubes, tread, etc(2)
Sanitary paper products(2)
186.2 186.0 185.9 0.4 -0.1 0.3 -0.1 -0.1
Household furniture(2)
Floor coverings(2)
Home electronic equipment(2)
52.4 52.4 52.2 -0.8 -0.4 -0.8 0.0 -0.4
Lawn and garden equip, ex tractors(2)
Silverware and hollowware (Dec 2011=100)(2)
12-6A
99.9 100.2 98.4 - -1.8 -0.8 0.7 -1.8
Travel trailers and campers (June 1984=100)
Toys, games, and children's vehicles(2)
Sporting and athletic goods(2)
Tobacco products(2)
Mobile homes(2)
Jewelry, platinum, & karat gold(2)
Costume jewelry and novelties(2)
Agricultural machinery and equipment(2)
Construction machinery and equipment
Metal cutting machine tools(2)
Metal forming machine tools(2)
Tools, dies, jigs, fixtures, and ind. molds(2)
Pumps, compressors, and equipment
Industrial material handling equipment(2)
Electronic computers (Dec 2004=100)(2)
25.3 24.7 24.6 -5.4 -0.4 -1.2 -1.2 -0.4
Textile machinery(2)
Paper industries machinery (June 1982=100)(2)
Printing trades machinery(2)
Transformers and power regulators(2)
Communication & related equip (Dec 1985=100)
X-ray and electromedical equipment
88.2 88.2 88.6 0.1 0.5 -0.1 -0.6 0.5
Oil field and gas field machinery
Mining machinery and equipment
Office and store machines and equipment(2)
Commercial furniture(2)
Light motor trucks
Heavy motor trucks(2)
Truck trailers(2)
Civilian aircraft (Dec 1985=100)
Ships (Dec 1985=100)(2)
Railroad equipment(2)
Signs and advertising displays (Dec 1985=100)(2)
15-9A-04
Flour(2)
Refined sugar and byproducts(2)
211.3 206.9 204.9 0.2 -1.0 -0.8 -0.3 -1.0
Confectionery materials
176.5 176.4 176.2 -5.8 -0.1 -0.5 0.7 0.3
Soft drink beverage bases (Dec 1985=100)(2)
Processed eggs(2)
157.1 144.2 187.6 9.0 30.1 2.8 2.4 30.1
Prepared animal feeds
208.7 226.7 239.1 15.2 5.5 2.2 3.1 6.6
Synthetic fibers(2)
Processed yarns and threads(2)
144.2 140.6 142.4 -10.4 1.3 -0.5 -1.2 1.3
Gray fabrics(2)
Finished fabrics(2)
Industrial textile products(2)
261.1 257.7 257.3 -4.1 -0.2 -0.2 -0.3 -0.2
Liquefied petroleum gas(2)
330.6 241.9 270.6 -26.7 11.9 -24.7 3.3 11.9
Commercial electric power
Industrial electric power
Commercial natural gas (Dec 1990=100)(2)
Industrial natural gas (Dec 1990=100)
Natural gas to electric utilities (Dec 1990=100)
Jet fuels
No 2 Diesel fuel
Residual fuels(2)
312.8 247.7 271.0 -4.5 9.4 -8.0 -10.4 9.4
Basic inorganic chemicals(2)
Basic organic chemicals(2)
336.0 295.7 293.0 -14.9 -0.9 -4.2 -6.3 -0.9
Prepared paint(2)
Paint materials(2)
297.4 303.3 298.5 11.8 -1.6 -0.9 0.4 -1.6
Medicinal and botanical chemicals(2)
Fats and oils, inedible(2)
Mixed fertilizers(2)
Nitrogenates(2)
Phosphates(2)
Other agricultural chemicals(2)
Plastic resins and materials(2)
Synthetic rubber(2)
Plastic construction products(2)
Unsupported plastic film, sheet, & other shapes(2)
Plastic parts and components for manufacturing(2)
Softwood lumber
Hardwood lumber(2)
Plywood(2)
Treated wood (June 1985=100)
Woodpulp(2)
186.6 188.4 188.3 -5.4 -0.1 -0.4 0.6 -0.1
Paperboard(2)
Paper boxes and containers
226.5 224.9 225.1 0.1 0.1 -0.6 -0.2 -0.2
Building paper and board(2)
Commercial printing (June 1982=100)(2)
Foundry and forge shop products(2)
Steel mill products(2)
Primary nonferrous metals(2)
Aluminum mill shapes(2)
Copper and brass mill shapes(2)
441.6 417.3 413.3 -14.0 -1.0 -4.1 0.5 -1.0
Titanium mill shapes(2)
Nonferrous wire and cable(2)
Metal containers(2)
Hardware(2)
Plumbing fixtures and brass fittings
Heating equipment(2)
Fabricated structural metal products
Fabricated ferrous wire products (June 1982=100)
Other misc metal products(2)
Mechanical power transmission equipment(2)
Air conditioning and refrigeration equipment(2)
Metal valves, ex.fluid power (Dec. 1982=100)
Ball and roller bearings(2)
Wiring devices(2)
Motors, generators, motor generator sets(2)
Switchgear, switchboard, etc, equipment(2)
Electronic components and accessories(2)
69.5 69.7 69.7 -1.7 0.0 -0.1 0.6 0.0
Machine shop products(2)
Flat glass(2)
Cement(2)
Asphalt felts and coatings(2)
Gypsum products(2)
Motor vehicle parts(2)
Aircraft engines & engine parts (Dec 1985=100)
Aircraft parts & aux. equip.,nec (June 1985=100)
Photographic supplies(2)
147.6 146.9 147.1 18.2 0.1 0.0 -1.3 0.1
Medical/surgical/personal aid devices
Crude foodstuffs and feedstuffs
Wheat(2)
190.7 224.1 224.3 8.7 0.1 1.5 20.2 0.1
258.7 298.4 312.3 10.3 4.7 -4.5 34.5 9.9
Slaughter cattle(2)
Slaughter hogs
101.8 118.6 110.9 -16.6 -6.5 20.8 1.4 -11.8
Slaughter chickens
226.9 222.7 222.1 4.2 -0.3 -5.5 -6.0 9.3
Slaughter turkeys
212.5 210.8 213.7 2.2 1.4 -10.4 1.8 -0.8
125.6 124.1 133.1 -19.1 7.3 -4.7 1.5 5.6
Soybeans(2)
243.1 277.0 282.8 27.3 2.1 1.8 13.0 2.1
Cane sugar, raw(2)
195.6 177.3 180.1 -12.4 1.6 0.8 -2.4 1.6
Crude nonfood materials
Raw cotton(2)
151.4 127.6 117.3 -25.1 -8.1 -12.6 -7.8 -8.1
Hides and skins(2)
Natural gas(2)
92.3 114.2 126.8 -30.5 11.0 15.0 12.3 11.0
Crude petroleum
297.8 245.6 270.3 10.2 10.1 -11.7 -3.5 12.8
Logs, timber, etc(2)
Wastepaper(2)
410.8 398.7 328.2 -38.7 -17.7 0.1 0.8 -17.7
Iron ore(2)
Iron and steel scrap(2)
621.4 489.1 533.3 -18.7 9.0 -12.4 -9.0 9.0
Nonferrous metal ores (Dec 1983=100)(2)
Copper base scrap
Aluminum base scrap
247.6 226.4 225.9 -17.3 -0.2 1.7 -2.5 2.6
Construction sand, gravel, and crushed stone
Industrial sand
(2) Not seasonally adjusted.
"-" Data not available.
Table 3. Producer price indexes for selected commodity groupings
Unadjusted index(1)
All commodities
Major commodity groups
Farm products and processed foods and feeds
Processed foods and feeds
Industrial commodities
Textile products and apparel
Hides, skins, leather, and related products
Fuels and related products and power
Chemicals and allied products
Lumber and wood products
Pulp, paper, and allied products
Metals and metal products
Furniture and household durables
Nonmetallic mineral products
Industrial commodities less fuels and related products and power
Other commodity groupings
Fruits and melons, fresh and dry vegetables, and tree nuts
Slaughter livestock
Slaughter poultry
Plant and animal fibers
Chicken eggs
Hay, hayseeds, and oilseeds
Cereal and bakery products
Meats, poultry, and fish
Processed poultry
Sugar and confectionery
Beverages and beverage materials
Packaged beverage materials
Other leather and related products
Gas fuels
Refined petroleum products
Agricultural chemicals and products
Other chemicals and allied products
Rubber and rubber products
Rubber, except natural rubber
Miscellaneous rubber products
Pulp, paper, and products, excluding building paper and board
Converted paper and paperboard products
Nonferrous mill shapes
Metalworking machinery and equipment
General purpose machinery and equipment
Special industry machinery
Electrical machinery and equipment
Miscellaneous machinery and equipment
Other household durable goods
Concrete ingredients
Motor vehicles and equipment
Toys, sporting goods, small arms, etc
Photographic equipment and supplies
Other miscellaneous products
(1) Data for April 2012 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and corrections by respondents. All data are subject to revision 4 months after original publication.
Table 4. Producer price indexes for the net output of selected industries and industry groups, not seasonally adjusted
to Aug. 2012 from:
Apr. 2012(2)
Aug. 2012(2)
Total mining, utilities, and manufacturing industries
121.8 120.5 121.9 0.8 1.2
Total mining industries
229.9 213.3 225.4 -5.1 5.7
Oil and gas extraction
247.7 218.2 240.9 -8.9 10.4
Mining (except oil & gas)
Mining support activities
Total manufacturing industries
Food mfg
Beverage & tobacco mfg
Textile mills
Textile product mills
124.9 126.3 126.1 1.0 -0.2
Apparel manufacturing
Leather and allied product manufacturing
Wood product manufacturing
Paper manufacturing
131.8 131.7 131.6 -0.5 -0.1
Printing and related support activities
Petroleum and coal products manufacturing
Chemical mfg
Plastics and rubber products mfg
Nonmetallic mineral product mfg
Primary metal mfg
Fabricated metal product mfg
Machinery mfg
Computer & electronic product mfg
89.7 89.6 89.7 -0.3 0.1
Electrical equipment, appliance & component mfg
Transportation equipment mfg
Furniture & related product mfg
Miscellaneous mfg
Total trade industries
Total wholesale trade industries
Merchant wholesalers, durable goods
Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods
Total retail trade industries
Motor vehicle and parts dealers
Furniture and home furnishings stores
Electronics and appliance stores
73.9 77.1 78.3 -11.3 1.6
Bldg material and garden equip and supp dealers
Food and beverage stores
Health and personal care stores
Gasoline stations
82.1 81.4 74.1 -10.0 -9.0
Clothing and clothing accessories stores
Sporting goods hobby, book and music stores
General merchandise stores
Office supplies, stationery and gift stores
Manufactured (mobile) home dealers
Nonstore retailers
Transportation and warehousing industries
Transportation industries
Water transportation
Truck transportation
Pipeline transportation of crude oil
Refined petroleum product pipeline transport
Transportation support activities
Delivery and warehouse industries
U.S. Postal Service
Couriers and messengers
Warehousing and storage
Total traditional service industries
Publishing industries, except Internet
Broadcasting, except Internet
Data processing and related services
Internet publishing and web search portals
96.2 96.7 97.7 2.8 1.0
Selected health care industries
Offices of physicians
Medical and diagnostic laboratories
Home health care services
Blood and organ banks
Nursing care facilities
Residential mental retardation facilities
Other selected traditional service industries
Depository credit intermediation
Security, commodity contracts and like activity
Insurance carriers and related activities
Lessors of nonres bldg (exc miniwarehouse)
Lessors of miniwarehouse and self storage units
98.4 99.6 99.1 1.4 -0.5
Real estate property managers
Offices of real estate appraisers
Automotive equipment rental and leasing
Other heavy machinery rental and leasing
Offices of certified public accountants
Other accounting services
Architectural, engineering and related services
Management and technical consulting services
99.8 99.8 102.3 1.7 2.5
Security guards and patrol services
Golf courses and country clubs
Commercial machinery repair and maintenance
(1) Indexes in this table are derived from the net-output-weighted industry price indexes. Because of differences in coverage and aggregation methodology, they will generally not match the movements of similarly titled indexes which are derived from traditional commodity groupings.
NOTE: NAICS replaced the SIC system beginning with the release of PPI data for January 2004.
See http://www.bls.gov/ppi/ppinaics.htm for details.
Table 5. Producer price indexes by stage of processing, seasonally adjusted
Index(1)
194.1 193.6 191.8 191.9 192.4 195.6
Crude materials less agricultural products(2)
(1) All seasonally adjusted indexes are subject to change up to 5 years after original publication due to the recalculation of seasonal factors each January. The indexes for April 2012 have been recalculated to incorporate late reports and corrections by respondents.
Last Modified Date: September 13, 2012
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index, PSB Suite 3840 2 Massachusetts Avenue NE Washington, DC 20212-0001
Telephone: 1-202-691-7705 www.bls.gov/PPI Contact PPI