oil price

If oil prices continue to drop, it will put billions of dollars back into consumers’ wallets and provide badly needed support for a battered economy.

Shares in Ryanair Holdings PLC rose Thursday after Europe's leading budget airline raised its outlook for this fiscal year, forecasting it would break even, because of the falling price of oil.

An independent study of oil markets concludes that speculation by large investors was a primary reason for the surge in oil prices during the first half of the year and for the more recent price declines.

Since 2003, worldwide oil prices have quadrupled. According to a new study, the price of oil is rising at a faster-than-exponential rate, and cannot be sustained.

In other words, we’re in the midst of an oil bubble, say researchers. The recent oil price run-up has less to do with supply-demand interplay and more to do with speculation.

The two biggest factors in oil’s high price are the weakness in the U.S. dollar’s exchange value and the liquidity that the Federal Reserve is pumping out.

In an effort to forestall a serious recession and further crises in derivative instruments, the Federal Reserve is pouring out liquidity that is financing speculation in oil futures contracts.

How much of what is happening with the price of oil is a result of speculation and how much is generated by the interplay of supply and demand?

That is the question of the day for energy geeks -- whether they be economists, regulators, industrial consumers, gas station customers or bloggers.

"It will be difficult to sustain (oil price) rallies in the face of any further strength in the dollar"

Retail gas prices fell slightly Friday -- the first time in 18 days they haven't risen to a new record -- and analysts say pump prices are close to peaking for the year. via Fox News