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GasBuddy News Article

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Gasoline's usual factors don't quite apply

Market Watch -- SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- The summer driving season is about to come to an official end this Labor Day weekend, but gasoline prices have been falling for weeks -- along with supply and demand.

Average retail prices for regular gasoline have dropped 11% from a record high of $4.114 per gallon set on July 17, data from the Oil Price Information Service showed. They stood at $3.66 on Thursday.

The price declines come as no surprise given the recent drop in crude-oil prices and fuel demand, but gasoline supplies have been dropping too.


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Submitted Aug 29, 2008 By: JT
Category: Daily News Article Discussions > Topics Add to favorite topics  
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REPLIES (newest first)
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mfeldstein
Champion Author Ottawa

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 9:42:14 PM

Not only the oil companies and OPEC; the refineries also control supply and pricing.
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JoeKR
Champion Author New Jersey

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 1:31:26 PM

Business as usual! Hope this is the speculators last hurrah and the stations that have jumped their prices with no corresponding rise in their cost are left holding the bag.
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weenerdog
Champion Author Detroit

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 1:13:39 PM

They're surprised that gasoline supplies have been dropping too? If the demand is dropping and the supplies are also dropping, it's probably because companies have responded to the drop in demand by cutting back on production. No company is going keep piling on more surplus to their inventories, no matter what product they make.
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billy44bo
Champion Author Mobile

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 12:15:45 PM

they are going up on they gulf coast and some station are out of gas
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dabuzman
Champion Author Seattle

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 12:05:11 PM

Yap!
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letmathe
Champion Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 12:02:33 PM

ditto
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mrkel
Champion Author Cincinnati

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:58:24 AM

I'm surprised gas prices did not shoot up before the weekend and with the threat of Gustav causing possible havoc on the Gulf operations.
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LeeFree
Champion Author Pittsburgh

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:55:33 AM

That's because gasoline prices were artificially high and still are.
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travelzonecente
Champion Author Riverside

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:50:58 AM

It will go back up as soon as the elections are over.
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REVLAW
Champion Author San Antonio

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:49:46 AM

A poor guy was walking down the street the other day with a penny in his hand. Strange, a rich man was following closely watching the penny.
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woos777
Champion Author Washington

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:46:51 AM

Whatever it takes. Keep them falling
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HawaiianGuy
Champion Author Idaho

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:40:38 AM

Supply and demand doesn't seem to work anymore, at least not around hereabouts.
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pricechecker08
Champion Author Ohio

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:40:22 AM

I STILL SEE PRICES OVER 4 DOLLARS IN CALIFORNIA
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dreamweaver7050
Champion Author Louisiana

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:37:58 AM

going up
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GasholeMI
Champion Author Lansing

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:34:47 AM

They went up here a tiny bit and they are dropping already.
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DerHahn
Champion Author Illinois

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:34:20 AM

what does apply when it comes to gas? demand has dropped drastically yet prices have only "slipped" from the highs they reached.
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patbob56
Champion Author Colorado Springs

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:33:43 AM

prices are rising here
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ironbox_sara
Champion Author Albany

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:33:16 AM

Keep dropping.
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qwikss
Veteran Author Phoenix

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:24:34 AM

Old story
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Cuzilla
Champion Author Indianapolis

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:23:26 AM

Drop, drop, drop!!!

Drill, drill, drill!!!

Drill here, drill now, pay less!!!
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rbrowdersr
Champion Author Detroit

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:23:25 AM

Gas prices will rise by whatever means.
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coke_kid
Champion Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:18:43 AM

Nice thought duriarte but too late at this point...I wish..

gas is no where near dropping fast or enough to please any of us..way tooooooo high.. still a buck higher than last year when we were upset over 3 bucks and still are..The US is in danger! while we let gas co corrupt us in the pocket..
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kevski
Champion Author Oregon

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:16:22 AM

big oil will find a way to jack prices
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murdershewrote
Champion Author Riverside

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:15:44 AM

lets see what happens now with ol' gustav...say he's a howling
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baddog58
Champion Author Texas

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:14:48 AM

Labor Day weekend + start of school year will reverse the falling of prices...at least temporarily.
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duriarte
Champion Author Utah

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:10:46 AM

We as a country are in big trouble if we think either of these political yahoos are going to do anything to help the common person. I think we need to start a grass roots movement to Vote For NONE OF THE ABOVE. Lets get some new candidates in there to run!

And if we don't like them, then we will keep voting NONE OF THE ABOVE until we get the right people to run.

Our Constitution states "WE THE PEOPLE", we need to take back this political process form the politicians

[Edited by: duriarte at 8/30/2008 11:15:19 AM EST]
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RdHogg
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:08:19 AM

OK?
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Razzincain
Champion Author Kansas

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:05:07 AM

Lets all request a $1200 check in the mail like the Governor in Alaska did for her people. Then maybe all of us could take a short vacation.
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Wolfwings
Champion Author Delaware

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:03:59 AM

Last year, the price was $2.581. This year, almost $1.00 higher. When my social security check comes it does not reflect this jump. I will remember this each time I hear another lie from either of the politicians PROMISING to make MY life better in the next four years. I PROMISE!
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evasilion
All-Star Author Virginia Beach

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 11:03:58 AM

What?
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DTape
Rookie Author Houston

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:59:57 AM

Hmm again I agree this is OLD NEWS, but the reason SUPPLY has been FALLING is that REFINERIES HAVE BEEN CUTTING BACK ON PRODUCTION to try to sustain the higher prices.
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Prodaddy
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:59:35 AM

maakes sense
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HEBster
Champion Author Kentucky

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:58:30 AM

What else is new???
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Parif
Champion Author Virginia

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:57:34 AM

everyone says this
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chas_commuter
All-Star Author South Carolina

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:56:50 AM

Blah blah blah, this is old news
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C4U
Champion Author Salt Lake City

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:56:46 AM

The drop is because as consumers continue to use less they buy less so if speculator want to speculate higher prices to get rich the consumer just buys less.
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ardmoretoday
Champion Author Oklahoma

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:48:38 AM

Old news
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Don20
Champion Author Oklahoma City

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:46:46 AM

If demand is down, so should the price.??
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WestsideGuyIN
All-Star Author Indiana

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:46:26 AM

Where did this person get her degree? This is one of the most poorly written articles I've ever read. Where's the flow and continuity leading to the conclusion?
In the end, usual factors do apply. Gas is expensive, people stop buying it. When companies artificially depress supply, people get angry and purchase even less. At some point, somethings gotta give. I for one believe the consumer will ultimately win.
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bbreff
Champion Author Atlanta

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:46:11 AM


OK
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Lengas
Champion Author Gary

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:44:25 AM

Its 25 to 30 cents a gloon cheaper in PA than at home.
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cantonbill
All-Star Author Atlanta

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:43:19 AM

I've always wondered why people will go to more expensive gas station when cheaper gas is right next door.
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rjb21760
Champion Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:42:41 AM

How do you factor in greed from speculators?
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EXTREMESNOW
Champion Author Medford

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:41:47 AM

THEY HAVE CUT BACK ON PRODUCTION TO KEEP PRICES FROM PLUMMETING AT THE SAME RATE AS OIL.
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bluebird1
Champion Author Toronto

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:40:56 AM

Well cantonbill, I guess your prices haven't hit hard enough there then. You don't see that happening much anymore up here (except in case on discount cards) but we are at $5.85 /gal Cdn....and no our prices haven't been falling consistently at all & only 6-7 cents a Liter from the summer highs (high of 1.36/L, currenty 1.297/L).
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TTPDX
Sophomore Author Portland

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:38:59 AM

Since when was the 'free' market really free? The oil industry has been dominated by oligarchy since the 19th century-- whether in the West or the Middle East.
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mwhals
Champion Author Charleston

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:37:22 AM

There is no real rhyme or reason as to how gas prices are calculated any more.
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cantonbill
All-Star Author Atlanta

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:34:20 AM

People are stupid about buying the cheapest gas. We had a $.13/gallon differential in price between a name brand and a discount brand right next to one another and people were still filling up at the more expensive name brand station.
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cantonbill
All-Star Author Atlanta

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:31:56 AM

Why have supplies been falling if demand is down? This strikes me as an attempt to create artificial shortage and keep prices high.
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GasaHawg
All-Star Author Texas

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2008 10:31:43 AM

And why are the gas supplies dropping with less demand. So much for a free market.
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