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Lundberg in CSPdailynews.com

 
CSP, August 24, 2026:
Oil prices are up again
Pump price is likely to jump soon: Lundberg

CSP, August 11, 2026:
Gasoline prices are up again but headed for a fall
Retailer margin climbs out of danger zone: Lundberg

CSP, July 27, 2026:
Pump prices rise 22 cents per gallon
Retailers must hike prices further to survive: Lundberg

CSP, July 14, 2026:
Pump price drops 14 cents, retail margin drops 7 cents
Is a gasoline price increase forming?: Lundberg

CSP, June 29, 2026:
Gas prices drop 23 cents in 2 weeks
U.S. average for regular grade falls to $4.01 per gallon, with more cuts expected as wholesale prices continue declining: Lundberg

CSP, June 15, 2026:
Are super-high pump prices over?
Gasoline price down 34 cents to $4.24 per gallon: Lundberg


 
CSP, August 24, 2026:
Oil prices are up again
Pump price is likely to jump soon: Lundberg

Aug. 24, 2026 CSPDailyNews.com Article:
The national average retail price of regular grad gasoline fell 3 cents per gallon in the past two weeks, and it now sits at $4.146.

But not for long. In fact, with wholesale gasoline price leaping in response to oil price moves, a retail price turnaround is already taking place.

The total retail price decline since the peak back in mid-May is 44 cents.

The motoring public, though, is gobsmacked by this: Consumers are paying 92 cents per gallon more than they did one year ago, when the average was $3.22.

West Texas Intermediate prices have climbed dramatically in the past two weeks, closing at $87.06 per barrel on Aug. 21. This is thanks to continued and exacerbated risks and damages to facilities in the Middle East and elsewhere including Russia. Significant inroads by various nations to skirt the contested Strait of Hormuz are being made, with more on the way, but a large risk premium inside oil prices remains.

The oil price rise of $8.88 per barrel since Aug. 7 translates to 21 cents per gallon.

Wholesale prices rose in nearly all U.S. markets throughout the two weeks. The U.S. average unbranded rack price is up 28.3 cents, and branded rack is up 26.41 cents, slightly less in the Gulf Coast region and far more in the West. Petroleum Administration for Defense District 5 saw branded rack shoot up 29.96 cents on average, with unbranded even more so—up an average 31.49 cents in the past two weeks.

The Trump administration has waived gasoline vapor pressure specs two weeks early, effective Sept. 1, to promote lower gasoline prices. Allowing higher vapor pressure for two weeks cannot, however, be expected to appreciably change gasoline's supply and price picture.

Refiners, meanwhile, are performing spectacularly, upping the already very high-capacity use rate of 96.5% to an aggregate 97.2% rate—a rate nearly unheard of in much of the world.

Both refiners and retailers lost some gasoline margin in the past two weeks. Retailers lost 3.9 cents, with regular grade margin now at 30.3 cents per gallon.

With gasoline demand running scared, shrinking from high prices, retailers are under plenty of pressure to achieve and maintain livable gasoline margin as well as they can, supporting rapid pass-through of higher oil and wholesale gasoline prices to street level.

Trilby Lundberg is publisher of the Lundberg Survey of U.S. fuel markets. Lundberg Survey Inc. is based in Camarillo, California.


Click here for previous Lundberg Survey reports in CSP Daily News.


Tel:(805)383-2400  Email:lsi@lundbergsurvey.com  Fax:(805)383-2424