by Calculated Risk on 9/18/2012 06:18:00 PM

From the Financial Times: Saudis offer extra oil to control prices

Saudi Arabia has offered ... extra oil supplies through the end of the year, a sign the world’s largest exporter is worried about the impact of rising prices on the global economy.
...
“The current price is too high,” a senior Gulf-based oil official told the Financial Times. “We would like to see oil prices back to $100 a barrel.”
excerpt with permission

This might just be talk ... oil prices are down sharply over the last two days, however Brent futures are still at $112.52 per barrel according to Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, gasoline prices are still very high. From the Oregonian: Oregon, Washington gas prices moving in reverse, but still at historic highs

In the past week, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded in Oregon dropped three centers to $4.01, the nation’s 10th most expensive.

Washington has the nation’s sixth most-expensive gasoline for the second week in a row at $4.05, down a penny from last week.

The national average -- at $3.86 -- actually added a cent-and-a-half. For the first time since early April, Dodds said, 10 states, including California, Washington and Oregon, have averages at or above $4 a gallon, up from nine a week ago.

The following graph shows the recent increase in gasoline prices. Gasoline prices peaked in early April, then fell sharply in May and June - and have increased sharply since early July.

Note: If you click on "show crude oil prices", the graph displays oil prices for WTI, not Brent; gasoline prices in most of the U.S. are impacted more by Brent prices.

Orange County Historical Gas Price Charts Provided by GasBuddy.com