Gas Prices: First Clearance Sale of 2015

Comment on the February 25 prediction:  Here in Michigan, it was CORRECT — prices rose as predicted.

Saturday, March 7, 2015, 3:00PM:  By the end of January, oil had fallen below $50 a barrel, and wholesale gas (Chicago CBOB) was around $1.40.  Then, in February, oil attempted to rally, and got as high as $53 on a closing basis.  Gasoline got excited, as it usually does in February, with CBOB jumping to $1.65, leading to retail prices like $2.49. However, after the past week, we are back to the “under $50/around $1.40” pricing, and that opens up an opportunity for retail prices to fall to $2.19.  In fact, you can get gas for $2.14 this afternoon in Lowell!  Elsewhere, prices in the $2.30’s should be coming down over the next several days, and I can’t see any price hike on the horizon. — Ed A.

11 thoughts on “Gas Prices: First Clearance Sale of 2015

  1. Ed…anywhere the Chicago spot vs NYMEX RBOB historical chart can be found. At 48 cents under it’s at levels normally only found in the November-December time frame as I recall. I’d guess it’s usually more like 10-20 under in early March. There’s got to be an extra glut of gas in the Midwest.

  2. Not a glut per se, refiners liquidating winter spec gasoline. Be ready for prices to snap back once the high RVP winter gasoline inventories are gone.

  3. So, if that puts spot at $1.60 and the Ohio average is $2.31, the spread is 71 cents. We will be spiking tomorrow or Wed/Thur, no doubt(assuming that 17 cents doesn’t reverse itself tomorrow).

  4. A lot of sub $2.00 prices showing up around the Flint area. They’re getying close in the Spring Lake/Grand Haven area as well, but it sounds like it won’t last?

  5. Definitely not going to last in Michigan. Speedway has already pulled the trigger on a reset to $2.39 this morning. Haven’t seen evidence of the same here in Indiana yet

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *