You may be driving up the price of oil

By investing in oil commodities people are helping drive up the price of oil, gas, oil by products, plastics, and many other items that use oil. The market speculation of oil will do none of the general population any good. It fuels a rise for the few who are getting richer by investment and sales of the commodities. So, again the many pay for what the few can take advantage of. Also, why did the government take away regulation of commodities? Were there some greedy souls out there who knew exactly what could be done with no regulatory control? It may have taken awhile (8 yr.) but now we can pay for their greed.

Since the real estate market went bust, after speculators succeded in driving that market to spectacular excess, now we have the oil speculator tax. Smart. Everybody has to have it, no one can adjust, in the short run, to avoid it, and no one can slip into bankruptcy or foreclosure, to avoid it. Everybody loses, so the Fund Managers can emerge as winners. And they can blame the politicians, who didn't do enough, the consumer for using too much and eventually, the world will adjust their habits to allow for high gas prices and swallow it as the price of living in the modern world. Until they seek out the next target to bubble.

Oil is way overpriced. Look at the cost per BTU. Oil is something like 8 times more than coal. Since most of this oil goes to transportation and much of the transportation can be done by electricity (electric cars, trains, etc) it will not be long before the price of oil falls to more reasonable levels. Those speculating are fools.

This article is garbage just like all the other ones I see blaming us average Joe's for the oil prices sky rocketing it has always been the greed of the oil companies like Exxon/Moble, Chevron & Shell they are one of the biggest contributors to the politicians both Dem. and Rep. that is why we are in the mess we are in and it is not the retired folks to blame for this mess like the article impales..

To invest in oil commodities would only drive the price upward even more. The investment to get in on is that of electric or solar powered vehicles.
Our government needs to concentrate on alternate sources
of power and energy and less dependence on oil. This in itself will drive the price of oil downward. When the Arabs start seeing we aren't so dependent
on their oil after all, they'll come down. After all, they are all driving around
at 45 cents a gallon right now..and what are we paying? We need to start
mass producing electric cars at affordable prices, otherwise in the end the
Arabs will hold all the cards and we will end up going back to horses and buggies.

I am retired and have two retirement plans one with state and other with Federal and I certainly have not made any money on oil. I don't know where one writer got this info. I too like Bob would like to see oil come down to a reasonable level but until then maybe we'll see oil investors drowning in the black crude and the other group asphyxiating on gas. After-all they are taking the US down for the almighty dollar in their pocket. Oil prices and gas prices are devastating the low and middle classes as these prices affect the over all economy.

The real issue is this: Many investors don't wish to (my mom is one) take the time needed to do their own investing and learn to manage risk, handle their porfolios wisely. Many can't read, or even know what the 4 basic statements of a business are; so they entrust this to their fund manager. I would say that this is indeed a problem! Different types of strategies are needed at different times, and people need to know where their money is going at ALL TIMES! This is because if their fund manager "goofs it" and things don't turn out as planned; the retirees can't go back to the fund manager, their employer, or the government to get their money back: they're out of luck. None of us would give a stranger we meet on the street say $500 and say "here, invest this for me in whatever way you want, I don't have the time or interest to do it". But many do this through payroll deduction and other means. The only way I'd do that is if I lost everything, would they pay my bills? You know that answer: Fund managers are there to make themselves money, that's fine but Americans need to First invest in their financial education THEN in the stocks, commodities markets. If Americans thought like this they'd keep an eye on their funds, and funds manager (Think about it: If they knew they were helping to drive up gas prices, they'd stop)! We've all complained about it; and we need to take responsibility for our own retirement so that we'll have one! I wish everyone the best!

Oil and Gas prices are devastating everything! Companies can't afford these prices either!

Investors can run but they can't hide forever. This having an impact on not just the US but I imagine in small countries it's devastating. Regulate OIL prices now before it's too late. There has to be a reasonable value set and fixed annually. Do it before it get's worse. They'll do the same thing to energy they did to the realestate market. The bubble will burst or the economy of the world will colapse wich ever comes first who knows?

Another case of "The operation was a success,,,, too bad the patient died!!!!" Or in this case it just may be the retirees. Where will these speculators be able to brag to their friends about how much money the were able to make? Definitely not in my presence!!! Too many family members have lost their entire life savings already over this mismanagement of funds! To quote from the movie named 'Network', "I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore!"

This to me is just further proof that the gov't and the oil refineries have been hand in hand since the beginning with Standard oil, etc. The tax on drinkable ethynol wasn't just another way for the gov't
to get money, it also stopped the farmers from making their own fuel for their tractors, etc. Back in
the middle 70's after that artificial oil shortage the gov't allowed people to get free permits to make
their own ethynol for fuel. That was mostly a PR move. After enough time had passed to allow the
refineries to build their own ethynol distilleries the gov't sent forms to each of us permit holders to
sign renouncing our permits, otherwise we would have to pay a TAX OF $5OO each year to keep making
ethynol fuel for our own use. Think of what new ways of distilling plants or whatever might have been
thought of and tested by private individuals in the last 30 or so years if the gov't had allowed it. Back
in the 60's we owned a store and sold gasoline and diesel fuel. Regular was 18 cents a gallon, ethyl
was 21 cents a gallon and diesel was 15 cents a gallon, if my memory is correct. Diesel is cheaper
to produce then gasoline just as regular is cheaper then ethyl. We changed the price once or twice
a YEAR when there was a glut of fuel and the refineries wanted to get rid of some of it. Lower the price and people will drive more and buy more fuel. I could go on with some things an uncle who had some
oil wells told me but space is limited.

People need to start demanding that their pension funds are not used to fund the "casino" play of fund managers. Congress should pass a law to prevent this use of the boomer's money. The fund managers pay a tiny, tiny % of their earnings back to the pension funds if they make say, 800 million dollars. If they loose 800 million - you will loose all our money. If Congress won't act - and we know that the Bush/Cheney administration has made massive changes to the laws and rules of finance that help the greedy, big business elite - then start yelling about gettting your money out of the commodities casino. People have changed the way investments can be made with "their money" before by going after the people who place their retirement money at certain investment/brokerage firms. If you still work and find that your benefits manager has allowed this investment - get a bunch of people together to complain to management. DEMAND your money is placed outside of the commodities gambling casino. You can do it. It is your money.

Now, can one person give me a no BS reason why diesel is so much higher than gas? Diesel is a bi-product of gasoline and has always cost much less. It takes several processes more to make gas! There was an explanation given in my local paper, the only one I've seen, that was absolutely ridiculous and had to be made by oil investors. The cost of product transportation, above all things, will crush this economy. The more it costs to deliver, the higher the price of the product, eventually making delivery unfeasible! Scary how we have allowed a small interest group to control something that everyone HAS to have. There is nothing in our daily lives that does not require oil. Yet a small group of greedy people control it! What is wrong with that picture???

If you look at every problem we have or will ever have, it comes down to greed or selfishness. There is no crime or anything that doesn't go back to selfishness. When this country was great we went on the principles of the Bible which teaches just the opposite of that (isn't that amazing, all the problems gone with one action) seems God must known something. But now that we are "enlighten" to a better way we are all little greedy gods and we are worth it all. Things are only going to get worst as we keep telling ourselves we know more than God and the Bible is obsolete. We have a better way than God. Aren't we a smart generation!! Welcome to the nightmare "WE" created. Enjoy it! It's better than going back to Biblical principles! Isn't it??

Would Bush lowering the limits that small investors can invest a few years back have any effect on the price of oil?

Would the Mutual Fund industry playing the falling dollar for the past three years be responsible for its inability to regain its strength?

YEA Baby,

Yeah!!! Great excuse.

It is the job of government to provide overall protection from enemies, provide a positive supportive atmosphere for trade/business, ensure a solid currency, and enforce patent protection.

This entire oil issue is a violation of most of its duties.

A major force in our overall downfall is outsourcing. Our government just loves to have a dependent population on welfare to enhance their power.

I am still outraged over the Dubai ports contract, the loss of the Boeing "tanker" contract, the loss of our small arms contract to belgium, the printing and security of our passports to a Netherlands co. etc.

Why bother ---- This is the only country that bends over backwards and does somersalts to give foreigners a big break at our expense. Keep up the good work. As long as we can buy the Chinese crap toys we are all happy.

BTW ask any of your astute liberal friends about all these lost contracts and weakend security. they have no clue, but they know what Brittany is doing 24/7.

I am just getting ready to put money in my retirement savings account for the first time ever and asked these fund manager's for a "green index fund" and they have not gotten back with me. People need education that alternative funds are out there and these fund managers need to get on the ball and provide people with different options... I do not want to invest in any oil company period. This includes British Petroleum or they as they are calling them selves these days "BP" and marketing themselves as a "green company". I want a fund manager that can truly look over a company and look beyond the "marketing" and get to the truth about these funds or I will do it myself.
Also coming from a farm and seeing how the "futures" market is played, I would not invest any money in those funds as well. In a pure play market driven economy , the "Adam Smith's market" had no hedging or speculating and the "local" farmers set the price of their product, NOT the multi-nationals food companies like Gargill telling the farmer what they can get for their product.The farmer is the one that assumes all the risk. If you buy organic from local farmers, they are not on the "futures" commodity exchange and you are paying the "true market value"s for that product. But the big multinationals, the chemical companies like Mansanto have driven up the price of all inputs for non-organic foods (which an organic farmer does not use that God) and have driven the smaller higher quality food producer off the land. This trend for the last 30 years has lead to a de-population of the middle section of the US and Canada in the biggest land grab ever by these companies because the anti-trust laws have never been enforced in either country. These multi-national PRIVATE food companies want the entire food chain. Whoever controls the food chain, controls EVERY THING. This rural de-population of small farmers has dire consequences. Not only monopoly of land, food chain, it has national security issues because if there ever was a land invasion by a rogue foreign nation they could march down the center of Canada and the US and it's game over because there are very few people left in these parts of the country . To be honest, I think I might just put my money in "my mattress" and wait for the world economy to change or put my money in war bonds because this is were we are headed (just read the headlines from today with Iran) These oil companies and so called financial institutions are getting ready for a major shake down or crash. As for the stock market, you probably would do better taking your money to Vegas. I think finally the American public have woken up from their deep sleep and are not waiting for these institutions to change. If anyone has noticed, first it was the internet boom, and now the housing boom and busts..... People are jumping on the bandwagon and are looking for the next best thing to invest in. True non-oil company "green" funds is the only way. By the way, my brother is a organic beef producer and is marketing his product off the traditional markets- commodities exchange...The US dept of Agriculture need to look at France were the small high quality farming still exists....The French pride themselves in eating high quality food and their agricultural policies reflect that. I don't know about you but I am getting very tired of eating "factory farmed" tomatoes that taste like wood and have Saminella...

Sadly, the tone of this MSNBC article smacks of the same deceptive marketing campaign big oil is paying Madison Avenue tens of millions to sell ordinary Americans: That high gas prices are OUR fault and the big oil companies (despite their posted record profits) are just innocent bystanders.

Here is just one quote from 6/27 Business Week article that sheds some non-corporate honesty The National Broadcasting Company/GE would be wise to embrace:

"I am convinced there has been manipulation of the Brent Complex [the term that defines North Sea Brent crude prices] by ICE members for the last 10 years at least. I think it is quite likely that the Brent forward price is being kept artificially high—which does require deep pockets and accounts for the continuing barrage of Goldman [Sachs] forecasts and much of the other oil market hype that passes for news." -- Chris Cook, a former director of the London Petroleum Exchange—now ICE Futures Europe.

John Diesel ran his first engine on peanut oil in the 20's . At that time fossil fuel was cheaper than peanut oil so that when the these oil companies got a foot hold and have been subsidized by the governments and have used taxation to fund ....what has the government tax on fuel being used for? Its not for more refineries? Does anyone know?

I invest in oil and gas stocks and would expect pension funds to do the same.

Are speculators driving up the price of oil? Not significantly, because the future prices are just slightly higher than the spot price.

The spot market in oil is virtually free of speculators (where would a speculator put his hoarded pertroleum until the price goes up further?), so the spot price refects the true supply = demand situation.

Senior Citizen speculators in oil have little impact on the World Wide price of crude oil per barrel.

It's the Institutional Investors that are driving up the World Wide Price of crude Oil. Just like Enron, who bet the farm and lost--Billionaires like Sores who are making billions speculating on The Economic Collapse of The West.

Must be made to pay for artificially causing Crude Oil Per Barrel Cost to skyrocket

It isn't the job of the US government to artificially keep the price of gas and oil at levels that its citizens can afford. The current high pricing is being driven by simple supply/demand economics across the entire world. THe world's ability to deliver gasoline to the masses simply isn't sufficient to meet ever increasing demand and growing terror risk. This is due to both a lack of oil refineries and the availability of cheap oil supplies (We've have or will shortly reach our world's "Peak Oil" production). Now back to the topic.... Investments are all about putting $$$$ into areas of the economy that are undervalued. Although we may not like it.... the world oil and gas supplies are still undervalued or the price wouldn't keep going up. The second that there is more supply than demand, the price of oil/gas will start to fall. With that in mind, I don't think that individuals that invest in oil are any less scrupulous than people that invest in real estate, auto companies or dotcoms. The price of oil stocks are going up and nearly everything else seems to be going down, so why shouldn't an investor hedge a bit. As alternative energy stocks begin to take off (and they will as break throughs occur), those same investors will shift their attention and $$$$ accordingly.

This abusive misuse of spec monies is also going into the agricultural markets and making it impossible for grains to be used in in food produced and therefore shortages and extremelly high prices of anything grain based.
This happened in the early 1970's when the 'Hunt Brothers" of Texan oilmoney cornered the soybean and silver markets with massive large spec positions which drove those markets to new record highs and then the Fed Govt steped in and put limits on how much large spec investors could own in commodity markets. Hence the markets collasped and the Hunt's lost their greedy fortunes.
twenty years later enter Ken Lay et al who got the rules changed again so Enron could speculate in the energy markets. This now has led to massive spec fund money flowing into markets that affect every american every day. If not stopped by Fed Govt action the greedy will own America and America will fail like never thought possible. Write/call your congressmen today !!!!!

Well, of course, having more and more people driving ever large vehicles, farther, faster, and more frequently isn't driving up demand for gasoline and diesel. No, no. It wouldn't be that.
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