Comment Text:
To whom it may Concern: Please rein in the irresponsible trading that occurs by traders in the commodities market, particularly oil speculation. Although I believe in free trade, this practice hurts the economy and every American by artificially raising the prices of items we MUST use every day. This is due in part to the fact that gas prices rise with oil prices as speculators run up the price of crude. Once oil prices retreat, gas does not follow, perhaps due to greed evidenced by a broad disparity in gas prices from station to station as prices fall. Case in point: From May to Sept 2011 crude oil prices fell approx 25% while gas prices dropped by half as much, approx 12%. Even today gas prices seem to be artificially high and there is a good 15 cent/gal difference from one side of town to the other. This is not based on cost to the station owner and is a heavy burden on the average consumer, all due to price manipulation by commodities speculators who never touch a drop of oil or gas in their trading. Thank you for your swift action. Steven G. Ellis
