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Everyone’s Gasoline Problem. Why does this happen?
Gasoline prices have been on the minds of almost everyone lately. Many times people dread having to go to the pump or wait until it is absolutely necessary to full up their gas tanks. Some have even changed the type of vehicle they drive in an attempt to help save them money at the pump. It would seem that gas prices are either always increasing or decreasing on a weekly and even sometimes daily basis
Gas prices are affected by numerous factors including the demand and supply for gasoline on the market, the prices of crude oil on the world market, seasonal changes and local market competition just to name a few. In recent years, the world's appetite for gasoline and diesel fuel grew so quickly that suppliers of these fuels had a difficult time keeping up with demand.
The demand for gasoline has changed over the years as more and more people globally have access to vehicular transportation. Countries such as China and India, each with a population in excess of 1 billion, are experiencing an expanding middle class that will likely use more gasoline over time1. Although the demand for gasoline has dramatically increased, its supply sources are still the same and are depleting. The quality of the oil is not the same in all locations, hence the higher quality oil cost a lot more. These costs then trickle down to the consumer. Crude oil prices are significantly influenced by the Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC). The more crude oil
OPEC chooses to produce and release, the lower the price.2
Seasonal changes also have an impact in gas price fluctuations. During holiday and summer time, many people tend to travel more frequently than they usually do, thereby increasing the demand for gasoline, this in turn increases the price of gas. As the demand for gas increases, suppliers increase prices

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