Haver Analytics
Haver Analytics
Global| Jun 11 2013

U.S. Petroleum Prices Tick Higher

Summary

The price of regular gasoline notched up last week to $3.66 per gallon, up 2.3% versus last year. Prices remain below the $3.78 per gallon peak reached late in February. Haver Analytics constructs seasonal factors to account for [...]


The price of regular gasoline notched up last week to $3.66 per gallon, up 2.3% versus last year. Prices remain below the $3.78 per gallon peak reached late in February. Haver Analytics constructs seasonal factors to account for seasonal volatility and the adjusted price rose 3 cents to $3.48 per gallon.

Light sweet crude oil prices inched 83 cents higher last week to $94.26 per barrel (11.6% y/y) and remained close to where they've been this year. Nevertheless, the price remained up from the June 2012 low of $80.29. Yesterday prices slipped to $95.77. Brent crude oil prices also rose last week to $102.91 per barrel (3.7% y/y) and were $103.83 yesterday.

Natural gas prices declined last week to $3.92 per mmbtu (67.7% y/y). They fell further to $3.85 yesterday.

The demand for gasoline slipped 0.8% y/y last week. Residual fuel oil needs, used for heating, rose 11.9% y/y and distillate demand gained 6.0% y/y. Gasoline inventories jumped 7.5% 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 Energy Prices 06/10/13 06/03/13 05/27/13 Y/Y% 2012 2011 2010
Retail Regular Gasoline ($ per Gallon, Regular) 3.66 3.65 3.65 2.3 3.62 3.52 2.78
Light Sweet Crude Oil, WTI ($ per bbl.) 94.26 93.43 95.09 11.6 94.20 95.14 79.51
Natural Gas ($/mmbtu) 3.92 4.11 4.14 67.7 2.75 3.99 4.00
  • 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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