Global| Oct 16 2018U.S. Gasoline and Crude Oil Prices Ease; Natural Gas Prices Increase
by:Tom Moeller
|in:Economy in Brief
Summary
Gasoline prices slipped to an average $2.88 per gallon last week (+15.7% y/y), down two cents from the prior week. Prices have meandered sideways since May. Haver Analytics constructs factors to adjust for the marked seasonal [...]
Gasoline prices slipped to an average $2.88 per gallon last week (+15.7% y/y), down two cents from the prior week. Prices have meandered sideways since May. Haver Analytics constructs factors to adjust for the marked seasonal variation in prices. The seasonally-adjusted gasoline price held steady at $2.85 per gallon.
West Texas Intermediate crude oil prices eased to $72.94 per barrel (+43.7% y/y) from its five-year high of $75.11. Yesterday, the price declined to $71.78. Brent crude oil prices declined to $83.05 (+47.7% y/y) per barrel last week from $85.44. The price was $80.91 yesterday.
Natural gas prices rose sharply to $3.34/mmbtu (14.3% y/y) last week. Prices were up from the low of $2.52 in February.
During the latest four weeks, gasoline demand decreased 2.6% y/y; total petroleum product demand rose 0.2% y/y. Gasoline inventories strengthened 6.7% y/y, but inventories of all petroleum products declined 2.4% y/y as residual fuel oil inventories fell 14.9% y/y. Crude oil input to refineries strengthened 4.9% y/y in the last four weeks.
These data are reported by the U.S. Department of Energy. The price data can be found in Haver's WEEKLY and DAILY databases. Greater detail on prices, as well as the demand, production and inventory data, along with regional breakdowns, are in OILWKLY.
| Weekly Energy Prices | 10/15/18 | 10/08/18 | 10/01/18 | Y/Y % | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Gasoline ($ per Gallon Regular, Monday Price) | 2.88 | 2.90 | 2.87 | 15.7 | 2.47 | 2.31 | 2.03 |
| Light Sweet Crude Oil, WTI ($ per bbl, Previous Week's Average) | 72.94 | 75.11 | 72.70 | 43.7 | 50.87 | 43.22 | 48.90 |
| Natural Gas ($/mmbtu, LA, Previous Week's Average) | 3.34 | 3.23 | 3.07 | 14.3 | 2.96 | 2.49 | 2.62 |
Tom Moeller
AuthorMore in Author Profile »Prior to joining Haver Analytics in 2000, Mr. Moeller worked as the Economist at Chancellor Capital Management from 1985 to 1999. There, he developed comprehensive economic forecasts and interpreted economic data for equity and fixed income portfolio managers. Also at Chancellor, Mr. Moeller worked as an equity analyst and was responsible for researching and rating companies in the economically sensitive automobile and housing industries for investment in Chancellor’s equity portfolio. Prior to joining Chancellor, Mr. Moeller was an Economist at Citibank from 1979 to 1984. He also analyzed pricing behavior in the metals industry for the Council on Wage and Price Stability in Washington, D.C. In 1999, Mr. Moeller received the award for most accurate forecast from the Forecasters' Club of New York. From 1990 to 1992 he was President of the New York Association for Business Economists. Mr. Moeller earned an M.B.A. in Finance from Fordham University, where he graduated in 1987. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from George Washington University.
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