Crossing the threshold
Gasoline to drop slightly as mid-summer passes

News release

Paradise, NL, July 17, 2007- Gasoline prices are set to drop slightly this coming Thursday as market trading showed slight decreases in spot pricing for the past two weeks, that’s according to George Murphy of the Consumer Group for Fair Gas Prices.

Coming drops in pricing
“After 13 days out of a possible 14 days recorded, numbers are showing that gasoline should drop by 8/10ths of a cent per litre. Stove and heating oils are showing only a minimal change of 34/100ths downwards and that should be a concern as distillate demand remains strong ahead of winter, particularly for diesel. We’ve hit the balancing point in the markets where, I believe that traders will soon change focus on what fuel is going to be more valuable at the end of the driving season. My belief is that the focus will turn to the distillates shortly,” said Murphy.

Market traders deserve scrutiny
“Looks like we’ve hit mid-summer and surely to God, the market traders south of the border have to realize that fact. The focus has to come off gasoline as the summer driving season wanes. We haven’t seen further degrading of gasoline inventories and any drawdown shouldn’t adversely affect the rest of the driving season. If the markets don’t tune to this fact shortly, then consumers should be upset and the governments that look after us should be as well.

Pricing to moderate some
“We dodged a very big bullet this time around on pricing. While we did see a new record with gasoline pricing, I believe that there has to be a turnaround happening shortly. The last two market trading days may be a signal of more to come as regards to a downwards trend but there are still some important factors that remain for consumers to contend with.
Iran and its pursuit of a nuclear program against the threats of United Nations sanctioning, Nigeria, and the ongoing situation in Iraq still remain as key factors.
Also in the wings is a threat of a production interruption in oil fields in the North Sea that hit Brent crudes hard this week.

Hurricane threat remains
“Still to play out in the markets this summer however, is what I like to call “Hurricane Syndrome”. That’s where the markets have the tendency to “panic” when they see a storm brewing a thousand miles away from unloading and processing facilities. No doubt the consumers’ interests will be tested by traders who stand to make a heavy dollar on that speculation.


We’re asking our governments to keep a watchful eye to the markets while hurricane season is upon us and get proof of the rip-off the consumers have to contend with at this time of the year. We’re not out of the woods there but concerns over available inventory to carry consumers through the heavy summer driving season should be dissipating and be reflected in pricing to the consumer.


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Note: When I sent this one out, I didn't have the pivotal fourteenth day. With that day included, gasoline now shows a drop of somewhere around 1.3 a litre while stove and heating will drop by 49/100ths of a cent.
From the looks of the markets, if this down trend continues, expect to see early interruption next week. Numbers traded down almost 5.4 cents a litre not including taxes for yesterday, July 17th.
Here's hoping!...


For more information, contact;

George Murphy
Group researcher/MemberConsumer Group for Fair Gas Prices