Comment on the March 22 prediction: We did get a hike back to $3.59, sort of, but technically the prediction was CORRECT.
Sunday, April 2, 2023, 7:00PM: I was surprised to be notified by GasBuddy this past Tuesday that prices in Michigan were rising to $3.59. Seemed like we finally started to see competition driving prices down a bit since mid-March and the wholesale numbers weren’t suggesting a price reset was coming. And, in the end, it was an unenthusiastic hike that some areas didn’t really embrace. Alpine Avenue was back in the $3.40’s by Friday, and today during a drive in Montcalm County, I saw some $3.29’s. This week is another example of when one of the retail chains tries to lead a price hike, but the wholesale numbers don’t really back it up, the competition shrugs and the hike starts to fizzle quickly.
What about this week? As I write on Sunday evening, oil prices futures are trading notably higher. The news on the wire is that Saudi Arabia is leading the way this weekend on production cuts to get prices up. We’ll see in a day or two what the reality is. If true, we’ll probably head to $3.69 or higher later in the week. If true. -EA
With spot for Chicago boutique blend having climbed to a 19c premium over the rest of you, our $3.99/4.09 hike was not so tame and has stuck quite well. A couple (a Delta Sonic and Murphy Express) quickly settled back to $3.59 but most everything else is $3.87 or higher.
Crude has topped $80/bbl this morning. This week is not going to be fun.
Appears to be going up another dime today. $4.09/4.19 in Chicagoland.
$3.89 in NW Indiana, this time led by Speedway. Been a while since they did the leading jump in NW Indiana. Did the $3.89 price in LaPorte County too, despite them not being required to do special blend.
$3.759 is rolling out in SW Ohio just when it looked like the $3.499 hike of last week was starting to fizzle out.
WAY overdone on the Ohio spike, considering yesterday morning, spot was in the $2.50s.
“Lame” ain’t the word I’d use for the $0.30/gal. bump to $3.759 that took place this past Tuesday or Wednesday of this week!! I’d hate to see what a “non-lame” spike would look like! We’re one “lame” spike away from $4.00, and in fact I’d say that $4.259 is a real possibility given the news in this article!! (Even fast food in Northwest Ohio has had a meteoric rise of late! The minimum cost for a SINGLE Big Mac at McDonald’s just hit $5.09, after a probably ** $0.70 ** rise on the first day of the quarter, April 1st, which was unfortunately not a joke!)
$3.759 in Indianapolis area, led by Speedway.
$4.29-4.39 in Chicagoland today.
$3.99 NW Indiana led by Speedway