Home California AAA: Pump Prices Stabilizing, Largest Weekly Decline in Three Months

AAA: Pump Prices Stabilizing, Largest Weekly Decline in Three Months

by ECT

AAA reported Monday that the average price of gas is at $2.86 per gallon, however, California is still the most expensive with an average of $4.07.


Gas prices are declining slowly but steadily across the country, pushing the national average down three cents on the week to $2.86. Today’s average is four cents cheaper than last month and the same price as one year ago. In fact, 25 states have gas price averages that are just a nickel or less expensive than this time last year.

Gas prices are decreasing despite the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest reports which show an increase in demand to summer-like levels and a decrease in gasoline stocks. The move to cheaper gas prices indicates that demand and supply are potentially leveling out.

“This is the first time in three months gas prices have shown consistent signs of declining,” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson. “However, there are many factors that could quickly push up prices in the coming weeks, including the impact of Chinese tariffs, weather, a major draw in gasoline stock levels, a spike in demand or the volume of Memorial Day weekend travel. Pump price movements this week will indicate if motorists will continue to see cheaper gas prices or if this was just a one-week fad.”

West Coast

Motorists in the West Coast region are paying the highest pump prices in the nation, with all seven states landing on the nation’s top 10 most expensive list. California ($4.07) and Hawaii ($3.63) are the most expensive markets. Washington ($3.53), Nevada ($3.49), Alaska ($3.44), Oregon ($3.42) and Arizona ($3.15) follow. Prices in the region have seen modest increases and decreases on the week, with California (-2 cents) seeing the largest decline and Alaska (+3 cents) seeing the largest increase.

The EIA’s recent weekly report for the week ending on May 3 showed that West Coast gasoline stocks fell again by approximately 400,000 bbl from the previous week and now sit at 27.1 million bbl. The West Coast may see continued price volatility and shrinking gasoline stocks this week, which will likely lead to more increases at the pump due to ongoing refinery maintenance that pushed prices over $4/gal in April.

Oil market dynamics

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session on the NYMEX, WTI decreased four cents to settle at $61.66. On the week, crude prices have moved lower because of global concerns around trade negotiations between the U.S. and China. This plus reports that two Saudi oil tankers were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz are likely to keep prices volatile this week. In related news, this week’s EIA petroleum status report revealed that crude stocks fell by 4 million bbl to 466.6 million bbl last week. While the new level is 32.8 million bbl lower than the level at this time in spring 2018, the step back is a reversal from the previous week that saw crude inventories climb by 10 million bbl. Contributing to the recent reduction in total domestic crude inventories was a slight reduction in domestic crude production to 12.2 million b/d and a drop in crude imports from 7.4 million b/d to 6.7 million b/d. The reduction in crude inventories occurred despite crude exports falling last week from 2.6 million b/d to 2.3 million b/d. In related news, Baker Hughes, Inc. reported that the U.S. lost two oil rigs last week, bringing the country’s total to 805. When compared to this time in 2018, there are 39 fewer rigs now.

Full article: https://gasprices.aaa.com/pump-prices-stabilizing-as-national-average-sees-largest-weekly-decline-in-three-months/

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3 comments

Laura May 14, 2019 - 3:33 pm

Almost our entire military defense is used to abuse power in the Middle East for oil. Why is it still expensive?

Highwayman May 14, 2019 - 8:04 pm

Wake up peeps. Did you even read the ballot measure that jacked up your vehicle registration fees along with the increased gas tax? Do you ever ask for accountability from Sacramento? And read it here, Newsom and our reps will invent new taxes and fees over the coming months. Free shit for everyone except the working middle class stuck in commute traffic four hours each day.

Jg May 15, 2019 - 10:27 am

Highwayman,
These DA voters who allowed another tax on top of the several taxes already on gas need to be educated. Like you said, while I drive everyday and pay my taxes. Newsom , Pelosi, and Harris fly first class and have walls around their multimillion dollar houses so they can give my hard earned tax dollars to freeloaders. Right now California is flush with cash because of the great economy the President has fixed. Newsom, Pelosi, and Harris can’t wait to piss that money away frivolously. Then when it’s gone to freeloaders they will want more. This time they will not ask voters because we allowed the gas tax to fly through. It will never stop until we vote out the socialists. They promise what’s impossible to deliver and the same DA voters take the bait.

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