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Chained dollars is a method of adjusting real dollar amounts for inflation over time, so as to allow comparison of figures from different years.^[1] The U.S. Department of Commerce introduced the chained-dollar measure in 1996. Chained dollars generally reflect dollar figures computed with 2005 as the base year.

The technique is so named because the second number in a pair of successive years becomes the first in the next pair. The result is a "chain" of weights and averages. ^[2] The advantage of using the chained-dollar measure is that it is more closely related to any given period covered and is therefore subject to less distortion over time.^[3]

See also

• Inflation adjustment
• Constant dollars
• Selected Per Capita Product and Income Series in Current and Chained Dollars (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis)

References

1. ^ Mark McCracken, Definition of Chained dollars TeachMeFinance.com. Accessed 2009.05.11.
2. ^ U.S. Department of Energy, Chained Dollars, citing EIA, Annual Energy Review 1999.
3. ^ Mark McCracken, op. cit.