It's not really artificial. Due to the shortage, prices rose to the necessary level to ensure that demand met the supply that was available. Just like how before the floods prices were at the level necessary for demand to meet the supply available. Stop and think about what would have happened if prices stayed at pre-flood levels despite the ~30% fall in supply, every single hard drive being made would have been sold and then people who need hard drives might not have been able to get their hands on them. Whereas with the higher prices people who need them can still them (albeit at inflated prices) while people like me, who would like to buy a couple more hard drives but don't really need them and can afford to wait, will just make do until prices reach more reasonable levels.