preview

The Price Of Gasoline Prices

Decent Essays

In the last ten years, gasoline prices have been increasing in Canada. Consumer spending on gasoline holds a large amount of total household expenditures. In 2009, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) calculated on average that Canadians spent about six percent of their total household budget on gasoline (Statistics Canada, 2013). Therefore, gasoline prices changes on consumer price inflation. In order to make gasoline, crude oil and refineries are required. When examined, gasoline and crude oil are two different commodities that can change through different market factors (Pump Talk, 2008). As these factors take place, the costs are added towards the price of gasoline. Even though Canada is a large net exporter of crude oil and owns almost half …show more content…

From different varieties and grades of crude oil, benchmarks are often used to set the prices. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Brent are two crude benchmarks that Canadian refiners often encounter. Brent is the leading global benchmark for crude oil prices because of its ability to ship to practically any oil receiving marine terminal in the world (Statistics Canada, 2013). Any geopolitical events that can possibly affect the supply and demand for crude oil will influence the price. As a result, crude oil prices in Canada are affected by foreign and domestic issues. For example, in 2005, Hurricane Katrina blocked oil production around the Southern Gulf Coast of the United States. As the supply decreased and the demand remained the same, oil prices over a barrel increased in a short period of time. President Bush sent thirty million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to bring the oil price down (Oil Price, 2009). Political problems in the Middle East have also caused many worries over the access of oil supply this region produces. In 2008, oil prices went over one hundred and thirty six dollars a barrel due to global concerns of the wars happening in Iraq and Afghanistan (Oil Price, 2009). The oil prices increased because buyers were afraid the oil was unable to be properly delivered. As these oil prices rise, consumers cut back on driving to save money. This decreased demand, which also decreased the

Get Access