Global| Mar 12 2013U.S. Petroleum Prices Retreat But Natural Gas Prices Firm
by:Tom Moeller
|in:Economy in Brief
Summary
The pump price for a gallon of regular gasoline fell by 5 cents last week to $3.71 per gallon (-3.1% y/y) and added to its 2 cent decline during the prior week. Nevertheless, prices have risen 46 cents (14.0%) since the mid-December [...]
The pump price for a gallon of regular gasoline fell by 5 cents last week to $3.71 per gallon (-3.1% y/y) and added to its 2 cent decline during the prior week. Nevertheless, prices have risen 46 cents (14.0%) since the mid-December low. The norm for this time of year, when driving is reduced, is for prices to decline. Haver Analytics constructs seasonal factors to account for seasonal volatility and the adjusted price fell 10 cents w/w to $3.65 per gallon.
In addition to the decline in the price of gasoline was a lower price for crude oil. The price for light sweet crude oil fell to $91.02 per barrel (-14.4% y/y), the lowest price since late-December. Yesterday prices recovered to $92.06. Brent crude oil prices fell to $110.25 per barrel (-12.9% y/y) last week and were $108.99 yesterday.
Natural gas prices have been on the rise. Last week's increase to $3.58 per mmbtu brought them up by more-than half since last year. Yesterday, prices showed more strength with a rise to $3.68.
The demand for gasoline rose 1.1% y/y last week. Residual fuel oil needs, used for heating, fell by more than one-third y/y but distillate demand increased 5.3% y/y. Inventories of crude oil & petroleum products rose 1.6% y/y.
The energy price data are reported by the U.S. Department of Energy and can be found in Haver's WEEKLY database. The daily figures are in DAILY and the gasoline demand figures are in OILWKLY.
| Weekly Price | 03/11/13 | 03/04/13 | 02/25/13 | Y/Y% | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Regular Gasoline ($ per Gallon, Regular) | 3.71 | 3.76 | 3.78 | -3.1 | 3.62 | 3.52 | 2.78 |
| Light Sweet Crude Oil, WTI ($ per bbl.) | 91.02 | 92.25 | 94.27 | -14.4 | 94.20 | 95.14 | 79.51 |
| Natural Gas ($/mmbtu) | 3.58 | 3.50 | 3.29 | 59.3 | 2.75 | 3.99 | 4.00 |
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.
More Economy in Brief
