Influence Prices At The Pump (NAPSA)—Over the next two weeks, millions of Americans are expected to make this holiday season one of the busiest for travel on record. Many drivers will take longer road trips than last year, due in no small part to major relief at the pump. Across the U.S., consumers are currently paying less than $2.40 per gallon for regular gasoline, the lowest average price since May 2009. Why was there such a steep plunge in gas prices after they were so high last summer? In order to understand why, you need to consider the series of factors that influence the price ofoil, the commodity from which gasoline is produced. Futures Fundamentals (www. futuresfundamentals.com), the new online resource brought to you by CME Group—the world’s leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace—now provides visitors with an easy-to-follow infographic titled “The Facts Behind Oil Prices” to explain the many components that determine the price of fuel: from global demand to the changing supply landscape to geopolitical issues to others. This diagram follows the release of Futures Fundamentals’ video tutorial, “The Story of Oil,” which takes viewers on a journey from the ground to the pump, explaining the extraction of crude from underground wells to price discovery at the exchange, and finally to the gas station. “The Facts Behind Oil Prices” and “The Story of Oil” are just a few of the concepts made simple on the site, which also tackles complex topics like food prices and mortgage rates. “In an increasingly interconnected world, we’ve seen growing interest among consumers and businesses for easy-to-understand information about what factors cause commodity prices to fluctuate and how to manage thatrisk,” said Anita Liskey, CME Group Managing Director, Corporate Marketing & Communications. “Our educational website addresses these questions and demonstrates through simple images, videos and examples how futures and options can help people and businesses manage price risk.” Visit Futures Fundamentals today to uncover the reasons behind oil prices and start learning how the marketplace impacts the world aroundyou.
