Global| Aug 21 2018U.S. Retail Gasoline Prices Decline
by:Tom Moeller
|in:Economy in Brief
Summary
Retail gasoline prices fell to $2.82 per gallon last week from $2.84 during the prior week. Despite recent declines, prices remained up 19.5% y/y. Haver Analytics constructs factors to adjust for the marked seasonal variation in [...]
Retail gasoline prices fell to $2.82 per gallon last week from $2.84 during the prior week. Despite recent declines, prices remained up 19.5% y/y. Haver Analytics constructs factors to adjust for the marked seasonal variation in prices. The seasonally-adjusted gasoline price fell to $2.76 per gallon, but remained up versus $2.60 late last year.
West Texas Intermediate crude oil prices fell to $66.13 per barrel (+39.2% y/y) last week from $67.91 in the previous week. WTI prices remained lower than the $73.71 peak early in July. Brent crude oil prices fell to $69.82 per barrel last week (+38.0% y/y) from a high of $78.75 three months ago.
Natural gas prices improved last week to $2.97/mmbtu (2.2% y/y), the highest level since early-February.
In the four-weeks ending August 10, gasoline demand fell 1.0% y/y; total petroleum product demand declined 1.6% y/y. Gasoline inventories increased 0.9% y/y, but inventories of all petroleum products fell 4.8% y/y. Crude oil input to refineries rose 0.7% y/y in the last four weeks.
These data are reported by the U.S. Department of Energy. The price data can be found in Haver's WEEKLY and DAILY databases. Greater detail on prices, as well as the demand, production and inventory data, along with regional breakdowns, are in OILWKLY.
| Weekly Energy Prices | 08/20/18 | 08/13/18 | 08/06/18 | Y/Y % | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Gasoline ($ per Gallon Regular, Monday Price) | 2.82 | 2.84 | 2.85 | 19.5 | 2.47 | 2.31 | 2.03 |
| Light Sweet Crude Oil, WTI ($ per bbl, Previous Week's Average) | 66.13 | 67.91 | 69.46 | 39.2 | 50.87 | 43.22 | 48.90 |
| Natural Gas ($/mmbtu, LA, Previous Week's Average) | 2.97 | 2.93 | 2.80 | 2.2 | 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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