I know this is a kind of stupid question

[windy252]

but can anyone tell me why gas keeps going up. I originally thought it might have something to do with Iran and the British prisoners.

[Demeter]

1. Simple Answer: Because They Can

they are playing games: refinery shutdowns, speculation, warmongering, Easter weekend premium on pricing, the agony os switching to summer formulations....

And my great state of Michigan is proposing raising gasoline taxes to buy more road repairs--in a state that's lost over 300,000 jobs under BushCo, there isn't going to be anyone driving!

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. Sure. Because they can do it. Theme of the past 7 years - think of it..

all of the horrors of the Bush misadministration, each more ballsy and outrageous than the last. What have they learned? That they can get away with anything. There is no oversight, no penalty. Look at today's story about the Ford CEO 4 month salary. I am so far beyond outrage, moving right through disbelief. But not yet numb. I still notice and still fight. But aside from the 100K or so here and a few glimmers here and there, it seems like the country is just plain getting worn down.

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. Someday there will be a shortage of energy, so it's a good idea

to get used to high prices now.

[Parche]

4. GAS

Because Taco Bell hasnt been producing enough Burritos............

[Ready4Change]

5. Because we are now used to $2.50 being cheap.

We've become accustomed to the current prices, so they feel they can now push the pricing envelope up a bit higher.

Summers coming, and people tend to want to drive more then, too.

[oldhippie]

6. It's really very simple......

As was said above, it's because they can. They have the gas. We want it. We want it so bad we will pay a higher price. It's called demand.

At some point one of the sellers will find that as they raise the price more, sales and marginal profit goes down. At that point the market equalizes. Some of the sellers will then drop the price a little to increase sales and marginal profit. Others will hold the price, other will raise it and try to make more profit on less sales. That's how a market works.

Unfortunately, we REALLY want the gasoline, and there is only so much to go around.

Simple, eh?

[Possumpoint]

7. This Subject Has Come Up Before.

Oil futures are bought by speculators as blocks. Their bids take into consideration demand, availability and risk. If world events cause concern about risks or availability then the bids go higher. Iran's taking the hostages caused their risk level to go higher. Hostilities breaking out in that area of the gulf would have would have affected availability. Bid prices on a barrel of crude rose. That results in higher gas prices.

Demand for gas raises in the summer months with our increased driving for vacation. Refineries are required by various states to create custom blends for a given area. Refineries for some strange reason seem to break down more often during these change overs and Management likes to take them out of service for scheduled maintenance. Gee I wonder why?

Gas stations operate on the gallon I sell today buys the gallon in the next load I get. Prices jump up very quickly. Gas stations make more money during a declining market when they delay reducing their price.

[gravity]

8. Great explantion

I couldn't have said it better myself