"With the summer driving season approaching, the national average price for regular gasoline soared on Tuesday to a nominal record of $4.37 a gallon. But relief may be on the way, with oil prices falling below $100 a barrel, a drop of roughly 10 percent since the weekend.

It can take a week for prices at the pump to reflect the gyrations of the crude oil price, which has dropped from more than $120 for West Texas intermediate, the U.S. benchmark, in March. It ended Tuesday at $99.76.

That weakness reflects a slowing of the Chinese economy because of a lockdown of several cities combating the Covid-19 pandemic, along with a growing consensus among traders that the global economy is also slowing.

“I think the consumer will get a bit of a break here,” said Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at Oil Price Information Service. “Just watch out for July and August. I think the consumer will drive this summer whether it’s $4 a gallon or $6 a gallon.”"

Clifford Krauss reports for the New York Times May 10, 2022. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"US Fracking Boom Could Tip World To Edge Of Climate Disaster" (Guardian) [3]

"Where Are Russia’s Barrels Of Oil Going?" (Washington Post) [4]

"Why US Gas Prices Are At A Record, And Why They'll Stay High For A Long Time" (CNN) [5]

"Oil Up More Than 5%, As Russia-EU Energy Quarrel Intensifies" (Reuters) [6]

"Oil and Gas Sector’s New Climate Policies Still Overheat the Planet: Report" (Bloomberg Green) [7]