Trump administration allows for Russian oil sales as energy prices soar
The move is an effort to calm markets and stem the economic fallout from the war on Iran, which has sent crude prices spiraling upward.
The move is an effort to calm markets and stem the economic fallout from the war on Iran, which has sent crude prices spiraling upward.
Gov. Mike Braun also discussed whether the state will suspend its gas tax as oil prices soar in the wake of U.S. military action in Iran.
Lawmakers in both parties view simmering fury over the cost of living as the top issue in next year’s midterm elections and are pitching a growing profusion of proposals to tackle the notoriously difficult problem of affordability.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, said while it was difficult to predict with certainty, consumers could see a bump in prices as early as next week, if not sooner.
Other financial stressors—like the cost of housing or the amount of money in their bank accounts—weigh more heavily on younger Americans, according to polling.
The EPA is issuing the emergency waiver to help alleviate gasoline shortages in four Midwest states after the shutdown of a refinery in Illinois.
The Energy Department said the sale of 1 million barrels, about 42 million gallons, was timed to provide relief for motorists as the summer driving season begins.
Futures and pump prices have been boosted the past few weeks by the transition to summer-grade gasoline and as inventories shrink to the lowest level since December.
The Saudi cut of 1 million barrels per day, to start in July, comes as the other OPEC+ producers agreed to extend earlier production cuts through next year.
The annual increase was set to expire in 2024, but it was extended until 2027 with a little-discussed provision included in the state budget bill.
Less oil flowing to refineries should mean higher gasoline prices for drivers and could boost the inflation hitting the United States and Europe.
The cuts total up to 1.15 million barrels per day from May until the end of the year, a move that could raise prices worldwide.
The president suggested he will look to Congress to levy tax penalties on oil companies if they don’t begin to invest some profits in lowering costs for American consumers. The president issued the warning just days before the Nov. 8 midterm elections.
Gasoline prices, one of the most visible signs of inflation, are a political headache for President Biden, who in recent weeks has repeatedly warned oil companies against raising costs.
The production cut threatens a global economy already destabilized by the Ukraine conflict and risks saddling Biden and Democrats with newly rising gasoline prices just ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.
Following three straight monthly declines, U.S. consumer confidence rebounded in August as inflation moderated and gas prices fell.
Patrick De Haan, head petroleum analyst at GasBuddy, which tracks gas prices nationally, called the Whiting facility closure a “temporary setback.”
A total of 57 cents per gallon in state taxes will be charged during September under rate changes released Wednesday by the Indiana Department of Revenue.
A total of 62.4 cents per gallon in state taxes will be charged during August, the Indiana Department of Revenue announced Monday.
High gasoline prices are a “double-edged sword” for the president because they hurt him politically even though they lead to fewer trips to the gas pump and lower emissions.