Something wicked this trading day comes

Guess what?..

While you slept last night, a concerted effort to increase spot pricing for gasoline occurred in the markets. Gasoline spots increased by more than 20 cents a US gallon.

That's about 5.5 cents a litre to Canadian consumers translated at the pumps.

Yes...Hurricane Syndrome has set in and there's not a darn thing to be done about it on this side of the border.

Consumers should now be aware that we have entered that "revered" time of the year where corporate rape of consumers occurs on a whim. Data from the National Hurricane Center in the US indicates today that tropical depression number four, soon to be named Dean if it reaches hurricane status, will likely become a tropical storm later today.

Consumers would be advised to keep the tanks filed up but practise conservation methods while these storms are around. When an actual storm is more than likely to damage any oil production or refining facility, the consumer is better off waiting the economic storm out and go with what they already have in the tank. Hoarding the stuff only caused undue grief to other consumers and sucessfully drives up the price of gasoline and someone besides youmakes a fortune.

So, while these storms are around this hurricane season, take some of this practcal advice and help take a financial bite out of the people who like to take a financial bite out of you. If a storm hits, you should have had full tanks already. Buying after the storm hits only puts bigger dollars out in the other fella's pockets.

Regards,

George Murphy