why oil prices go up?
375002
Because we dont own the Middle East.
69172
"Futures" are just contracts for a delivery of a certain commodity (oil, in this case) for a "future" delivery. If oil prices never changed, then a oil futures contract would be the base price of oil plus some storage cost and administrative fees.\n\nBut this would make for some pretty dull trading and, in fact, oil prices do change -- and sometimes they change a LOT. Like all commodiities, the price is a function of the supply of the commodity v. the demand for that commodity. If supplies are short (e.g. OPEC announces it will cut production by 20%), prices will typically go up. If demand goes down (e.g. Big Oil, Inc. announces it can synthesize oil from old AOL disks, thus making oil as accessible as water), prices for the commodity go down.\n\nA trader may buy an oil futures contract (an agreement on a certain amount of oil at a certain point in the future) in the expectation that the price of oil will rise. If it does, the contract may be worth more. Since the trader doesn't pay the full amount of the contract, but only a small percentage,  the trader has a great deal of leverage and their profits (and losses) are much greater than had they simply bought oil itself. (You can also SELL the commodity first, planning to buy back the contract later when/if the price goes down -- a process known as "shorting".)\n\nAll commodities trading is a "zero-sum game". For every dollar won, someone loses a dollar. Futures trading is a truly excellent way to lose money in a stunningly fast manner.
331330
Mainly the global market.  With countries like India and China consuming tons of oil and gas, it has raised global demand and prices.  The instability of the supply from certain countries has contributed to a fear of future supply also.\n\nThere's a full article here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5365439
372469
Lets see, the oil company's own and operate the wells, then the some people that work for them bid on the oil and it is sold to the refinery's which by the way is owned by the oil company's which in turn ship it to the gas stations guess who owns them. Sweet deal huh. I really wonder why the prices are so high.
610032
you must remember that developing nations like china and india are consuming more and more oil, just like the united states\n\nprices will keep going up..
888798
Share prices rise when there is an increased demand for the shares.  That is people are willing to pay more money for them. If a comany reports that their earnings have increased more than was expected, that generally increases the demand for the shares and prices rise.  \n\nSometimes the price movement is due to technical factors.  If the price of a stock has fallen a significant amount, people might think it is now a bargain and begin wanting to buy it, driving the price higher, even though there is no other apparent reason for the price increase. The opposit is also true.  \n\nThe best way to consistantly make money, is to buy stocks with solid fundamental value that are not overpriced and then to hold on to them and not sell them after the price has risen a few points and not to panic and sell them if the price drops a few points. \n\n The markets tend to run in cycles. And many people tend to buy stocks at the top of the cycle when they are expensive and then to panic and sell them at the bottom of the cycle when they are cheap.  Others tend to buy speculative stocks hoping to make a fast buck, but usually wind up loosing a buck real fast.
278954
"In today's complex global markets, the price of crude oil is set by movements on the three major international petroleum exchanges, all of which have their own Web sites featuring information about oil prices. They are the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX, http://www.nymex.com), the International Petroleum Exchange in London (IPE, http://www.ipe.uk.com) and the Singapore International Monetary Exchange (SIMEX, http://www.simex.com.sg)."\n\n\n\nBasically the availability of oil as well as the cost of finding more are the main reasons for the pricing of crude oil. But there are a lot more factors that come into play when you start talking about gas prices which are connected directly to the cost of oil.\n\n\n\n"Global economic expansion is driving what the International Energy Agency says is the biggest increase in oil demand for 24 years.\n\nOil companies have tried to become more efficient in recent years and operate with lower stocks of crude oil. This means there is less of a cushion in the market against supply interruptions.\n\nThe combination of low stocks and Opec action to keep them low leaves the market exposed to the prospect of sudden price rises if supplies are threatened.\n\nThe world's major oil consumers remain dependent on the Middle East for their oil. Recent violence in Iraq and Saudi Arabia has again raised fears about an interruption to supplies.\n\nAnalysts also view political tension in non-Middle East states Nigeria and Venezuela as having the potential to disrupt exports and drive up world prices.\n\nLow US gasoline stocks and pressure on US refiners to increase production of new gasoline blends have also helped drive world crude oil prices."\n\n\nHope this is what you were looking for, please send me an email and I will elaborate more.
348889
supposedly it's because of "weapons of mass destruction." but we all know it's because of the oil. the shitty part is now bush has had us over there 3 years, and the fuckin gas prices are still pushing $3 and probably $4 in summer.
42936
Those are pieces of the economic picture within the US.  Based on the information that's been coming out of the oil industry, a high oil price is mostly priced into the earnings equations for most companies.  [I actually think that this is NOT the case, but that seems to be the assumption on Wall St.]\n\nThe auto makers are actually making announcements that are going to improve their profitability -- that generally makes their price go up.
1121329
The price goes up when demand outpaces the supply of gasoline.  and that would mean if we as Americans drove smaller cars than suvs we would have less demand.  Also we need a new fuel source other than petroleum.
426565
Oil prices will probably keep escalating, because everyone is using cars, and even though oil prices are becoming more and more, we keep using the same amount, if not more. Oil prices aren't going to be what matters for people to buy more efficient cars, it's going to be when the more efficient cars become more commonly used by the world's people.
672295
because of the high prices of course...\n\nno blood for oil!!
525345
In part, gas prices are determined by supply and demand.  Prices are also determined by how much foreign oil is purchased and then passed on to consumers. \nPoliticians and oil companies would have us believe that these two are the primary reasons for the increase in fuel prices, but this is because most Americans do not really look very hard at facts surrounding them on a daily basis, or do not put them together. The 1950's had gas at around 22 cents a gallon.  Yet even with our greater technology, the much increased ease of production, transport, and refinement should have us keeping pace with prices still around $1.00, with the cost of exploration being one of the few legitimate reasons for increasing the prices...of course combined with the reasons previously mentioned.  But this is not the case.  \nWhen hurricane Katrina approached the coast, the price of gas rose over 10 cents a gallon - before - the hurricane had done any damage.  Afterward, when production resumed its normal levels, prices did not subside.  Instead they continued to rise.  The second hurricane did little or no damage, but prices rose again...in the same pattern.  For a dozen years or more, oil companies have followed a pattern of every six to eight months, raising prices until public outcry became strong enough, then when it was lowered ten or twelve cents the public sighed a great sigh; while not really paying attention to the fact that the price was still ten or fifteen cents higher than it was.  \nThe hurricanes, combined with the merger of giant oil companies into mega corporations have removed the checks and balances that healthy competition made in keeping oil prices down.  From 14 to 36 billion in profits, these oil companies answer to no one.  Their CEO's hide under the guise that no one can specifically point their finger at one of them and lay the blame, and our government cannot do anything to one and not the others, so nothing is done.  The oil companies state to the senators that their prices have increased slower than any other comodity.  Yet the simple reason behind this eludes our leaders...the reason...because the oil companies are the catalyst for the rise in every other price.  A farmer, with a tiny edge of profit, cannot afford to absorb the gas prices as they are, and so the prices snowball into every other thing linked to them.  So, why do prices rise?  Well, aside from the legitimate reasons mentioned in the beginning, it is because there is no one who tells them that they have to stop.
1148783
It is all about supply and demand. The demand is there and the supply gets cut back so the price increases.
1002698
The thing is the oil compagnies don't want to lose money so they brainwash people into thinking the alternative isn't any good.\nMeanwhile the others are  powerless.\n(The Oil compagnies are more powerful than the latter)
363648
How much they made in profits has nothing to do with the price of gas.  \n\nThere are quite a few reasons that gas prices are rising.  First, simple supply and demand. The price of the oil that is refined to make gas is rising.  This is because worldwide demand for oil is growing (think about China and India).  Right now due to our little war and the other unstable oil producing countries, worldwide oil production is not where it needs to be.  Secondly, with the increased demand for gas in this country, the current refinery system cannot meet demand.  The EPA has put a strangle hold on any new refineries.  There hasn't been a new refinery built in this country for 30 years.  Lastly, the government has allowed all of the major oil companies to either merge together or be acquired by foreign companies.  Exxon / Mobil, Chevron / Texaco, British Petroleum / Atlantic Richfield and Royal Ductch / Shell.\n\nAll of this is the perfect recipe for big profits.  Publicly traded oil companies like Exxon / Mobil are doing what they are supposed to be doing; maximizing shareholder value.  If you want someone to blame, blame the government.  They make the environmental laws.  They started the war.  They allowed all of the mergers.
903450
First, there has never been a shortage of gas or oil, if you watch when it comes time for travelers to starting vacationing or warmer weather starts, gas prices go way up then by fall after Labor Day they go down.  We have more oil that people don't even know about.  Our Pres. doesn't want this know but we have plenty, we don't have to buy from Iran or anywhere we have enough resources in America.