Great Example Of High-Price-Demand Destruction -- October 4, 2023

Locator: 45649GASOLINEDEMAND.

I'm sure there have been many examples of this over the years, but I do not recall seeing it to this extent. This is really quite something. Link here to Reuters.

And then look at the build of gasoline stores reported this month. One source suggested torrential rains in NYC area this past week -- I don't think so. I think it's all about the high price of gasoline in southern California. This has huge implications for the oil sector as EV penetration continues to increase in California. 

And, as long as I've digressed this far, let me re-ask the question I asked earlier today:

• poll: all things being equal -- price and range; would you rather buy:
• a Tesla
• a Ford EV
• if you answered Ford EV, you are not paying attention
• like the Barbie movie, let's ask the question again
  
• poll: all things being equal -- price and range; would you rather buy:
• a Tesla
• a Ford EV

Earlier, I asked this question.

Say what? Is $6-gasoline in California part of the problem?

Gasoline demand:

Then, taking my own advice, when no one offered a reason, I googled the question, and here's the answer.

And, then look at all the incredible data points in this story:

Amazing Drop In Gasoline Demand This Past Week -- October 4, 2023

Locator: 45647GASOLINEDEMAND.

Say what? Is $6-gasoline in California part of the problem?

Gasoline demand:

Inflation Coming In At 7.9%. Now This. This Is What Really, Really Scares Jay Powell -- March 22, 2022

Gasoline prices surging.

The very same day this data was released was the day Jay Powell, "Fed chairman," implied the Fed would raise overnight rates more than expected, faster than expected.

I've maintained ever since beginning the blog, the best indicator of the US economy was gasoline demand. And by that metric, the US economy is on fire.

Compare gasoline / diesel demand in:

• Russia
• Europe
• Britain

This has to be terrorizing the Fed: US sees highest gasoline demand since at least 2017.

This is despite:

• massive EV penetration (needs to be fact-checked but that's what "everyone" says)
• CAFE standards that in some cases border on the absurd
• at least five oil-price shocks in recent history that supposedly resulted in demand destruction

Did we mention that gasoline prices are surging with $120 oil? 

Demand destruction? What demand destruction?

The bigger concern is supply destruction (see earlier post).

But I digress.

I'm sure I must be misinterpreting the headline story. 

Back to the things that put terror into the hearts of "Fed" members: US sees highest gasoline demand since at least 2017.

Greta's head is exploding.  

More and more, the story is not "demand destruction," but "supply destruction."

Link to Tsvetana Paraskova.

• U.S. gasoline demand on Sunday jumped by 12.6 percent compared to the previous Sunday.
• U.S. gasoline prices fell slightly last week from the highs on March 11. 

Not one percent or two percent or even five percent or ten percent, but almost 13 percent. 

Trivia: the number page on the blog when one searches "demand destruction" was posted Saturday, April 23, 2011. 

From wikipedia:

Demand destruction is an economic term used to describe a permanent downward shift in the demand curve in the direction of lower demand of a commodity such as energy products, induced by a prolonged period of high prices or constrained supply.

So, if US sees highest gasoline demand since at least 2017, does that change all those arguments about "demand destruction"? 

Is this sort of like Hubbert's "peak oil theory" which has been clearly disproved?

********************************
Finally, Summer