The factoid thrown around is that roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply travels through the Strait of Hormuz. Since it closed, my local gas prices in one area of the US midwest have gone from $2.60 to now $4.10 presumably as reserves have been used up.

I could understand a 20~30% increase in price to correlate with the reduction in supply, but what are the economic factors that lead to what feels like such a disproportionate increase?

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[–] 3 points 6 months ago (1 child)

What I find interesting is I was paying $4.30 for premium while regular was $2 something before the stupidity started. Now I pay $4.70-$4.90 for premium and regular is $4ish

Regular has gone up far more than premium, I wonder how much diesel has gone up?

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  • [–] 5 points 6 months ago

    Diesel seems to have gone up slightly more. Diesel tends to be somewhat less elastic - people are using this for work they consider important. You might not make a long distance trip (stay home, or travel to something closer to home), but you won't stop buying things shipped with diesel. In some cases you are substituting a trip to the store (gas) for deliver (diesel, but because it is a combined trip overall less fuel used)

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