Why do gas prices not closely follow the price of crude oil?

The price of crude oil is dropping like a rock, but gas prices have remained steady or have gone slightly up in past months.





Why do you think it is so?





Do you think the U.S. Government have anything to do with it?Why do gas prices not closely follow the price of crude oil?
It has more to do with the cost of refining then the price of crude oil.





I think that the govt. is trying to drive down the price, so they can take over the oil industry.Why do gas prices not closely follow the price of crude oil?
The first answer is correct.


Oil prices can be seen here - http://www.marketwatch.com/quotes/?sid=3鈥?/a>





Oil hit $32 barrel and has since moved up as have prices at the pump.





The law of supply %26amp; demand works every time - unless the government interferes. With new oil coming out of the ground at $45-$60 barrel the oil company profits will begin to fall rapidly.


If the oil companies could manipulate prices as some uninformed people claim - Why have the prices fallen so much, even below costs?
Nope - it's all up to the Oil Companies (and their GREED) themselves...





How else could they keep making record profits???





%26gt;:(
Because Al Gore invented oil, therefore, he invented gas, therefore, he invented Global Warming!!!!





Aaaaahhhhh!!
its a complicated connection btwn the oil pump and the gas pump - it mostly has to do with refinery capacity and demand.
they have no relation to each other