FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
C:\JAVA\jdk1.6.0_14_32bit\bin>java -version
java version "1.6.0_14"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_14-b08)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 14.0-b16, mixed mode, sharing)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Windows XP Pro 64 bit, SP2

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
The following code runs fine under JDK 1.6.0_12, but fails with a NullPointerException in JDK 1.6.0_14

    public void testCanApproximateLogWithInputTerms() {

        BigDecimal x = BigDecimal.valueOf(8L, 1);
        BigDecimal xPower = BigDecimal.valueOf(-1L);

        for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
            xPower = xPower.multiply(x);
        }
    }


java.lang.NullPointerException
at java.math.BigDecimal.multiply(BigDecimal.java:1312)
at com.rtrms.math.EulersSumTest.testCanApproximateLogWithInputTerms(EulersSumTest.java:25)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
at com.intellij.rt.execution.junit.JUnitStarter.main(JUnitStarter.java:40)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
at com.intellij.rt.execution.application.AppMain.main(AppMain.java:90)



STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Excecute the test code listed above

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
The code should run without error
ACTUAL -
java.lang.NullPointerException
at java.math.BigDecimal.multiply(BigDecimal.java:1312)
at com.rtrms.math.EulersSumTest.testCanApproximateLogWithInputTerms(EulersSumTest.java:25)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
at com.intellij.rt.execution.junit.JUnitStarter.main(JUnitStarter.java:40)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
at com.intellij.rt.execution.application.AppMain.main(AppMain.java:90)


ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
java.lang.NullPointerException
at java.math.BigDecimal.multiply(BigDecimal.java:1312)
at com.rtrms.math.EulersSumTest.testCanApproximateLogWithInputTerms(EulersSumTest.java:25)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
at com.intellij.rt.execution.junit.JUnitStarter.main(JUnitStarter.java:40)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
at com.intellij.rt.execution.application.AppMain.main(AppMain.java:90)


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
    public void testCanApproximateLogWithInputTerms() {

        BigDecimal x = BigDecimal.valueOf(8L, 1);
        BigDecimal xPower = BigDecimal.valueOf(-1L);

        for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
            xPower = xPower.multiply(x);
        }
    }


---------- END SOURCE ----------

Release Regression From : 6u12
The above release value was the last known release where this
bug was not reproducible. Since then there has been a regression.