We document producer price adjustment using a low-inflation micro price dataset. On average 24% of prices adjust each month, with an average increase/decrease of 6%. Producer prices adjust more frequently than consumer prices, but their size of adjustment is typically smaller. Sectoral heterogeneity in the frequency of price adjustment is strongly related to heterogeneity in the cost structure. Fluctuations in aggregate producer price inflation occur to a large extent through variation in the relative share of upward and downward price adjustment.

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Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in WO R K I N G PA P E R S E R I E S The Eurosystem Inflation Persistence NetworkThis paper reflects research conducted within the Inflation Persistence Network (IPN), a team of Eurosystem economists undertaking joint research on inflation persistence in the euro area and in its member countries. The research of the IPN combines theoretical and empirical analyses using three data sources: individual consumer and producer prices; surveys on firms' price-setting practices; aggregated sectoral, national and area-wide price indices. Patterns, causes and policy implications of inflation persistence are addressed.Since June 2005 the IPN is chaired by Frank Smets; Stephen Cecchetti (Brandeis University), Jordi Galí (CREI, Universitat Pompeu Fabra) and Andrew Levin (Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System) act as external consultants and Gonzalo Camba-Méndez as Secretary.The refereeing process is co-ordinated by a team composed of Günter Coenen (Chairman), Stephen Cecchetti, Silvia Fabiani, Jordi Galí, Andrew Levin, and Gonzalo Camba-Méndez. The paper is released in order to make the results of IPN research generally available, in preliminary form, to encourage comments and suggestions prior to final publication. The views expressed in the paper are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Eurosystem. C O N T E N T SAbstract 4 Non-technical summary 5

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. Terms of use: Documents in NATIONAL BANK OF BELGIUM WORKING PAPERS -DOCUMENT SERIES ATTRACTIVE PRICES AND EURO-ROUNDING EFFECTS ON INFLATION _______________________________Luc AucremanneThe views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bank of Belgium. Editorial DirectorJan Smets, Member of the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Belgium Statement of purpose:The purpose of these working papers is to promote the circulation of research results (Research Series) and of analytical studies (Document Series) made within the National Bank of Belgium or presented by outside economists in seminars, conferences and colloquia organised by the Bank. The aim is to provide a platform for discussion. The opinions are strictly those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bank of Belgium. AbstractApproximately 70% of Belgian consumer prices are to be considered as attractive prices, namely psychological prices, fractional prices -i. e. prices which are convenient to pay -and round prices. Conversion of these prices into euro generally leads to prices which are no longer attractive and it is very likely that retailers will round their prices to attractive euro prices. The public fears that rounding will be upward rather than symmetric.This paper simulates in the first instance a worst-case scenario, whereby all attractive BEF prices are systematically rounded up to the nearest attractive euro price. The effect on the consumer price index ranges from 0.54 to 0.72%. Such a scenario is however very unlikely, as factors such as competition on product markets, the currently prevailing demand conditions, the commitments made by organisations representing the enterprise sector and the vigilant attitude of consumers restrain the possibility of rounding up. In order to obtain a more realistic picture, the paper investigates in a second step whether rounding-up effects were found after the major change in VAT rates in April 1992. These effects seem marginal, although it should be acknowledged that it was difficult to isolate rounding effects from regular price changes. Any ex post assessment of the euro changeover will face a similar identification problem.

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