The Cost Meter. A Trade War Index.

April 5, 2025

Petroleum:  $61.78/bbl (Wyoming crude become unecomic at $59.00/bbl).

Coal:  Coal 99.40/ton

Coffee (USd/Lbs) 372.60.

Levis at Penny's:  $55.65.

April 7, 2025

Petroleum:  60.80/bbl.

One of Trump's minions cited this, fwiw, as evidence that inflation isn't kicking in and things are fine.  On the contrary, the price of petroleum is dropping on fears of a recession.  A recession reduces oil consumption.

Indeed, because of the bizarre nature of tariffs, trading prices on some things in general may go down, while the price rises for Americans.

April 8, 2025

From the Wall Street Journal yesterday:

Updated 1 day ago

U.S. Oil Prices Fall Below $60 a Barrel

By

WSJ Staff

Oil prices kept falling early Monday; investors fear a trade war will clobber the global economy and sink demand for crude oil.

U.S. crude futures dropped more than 4% to below $59 a barrel, after falling 14% over two sessions to end last week.

Brent crude, the global benchmark, also fell more than 4%.

If prices remain near $60 a barrel for long, American frackers will likely slow drilling and will have to re-evaluate their spending levels for the remainder of the year and in 2026.

It's about $61/bbl this mooring.

cont: 

$58.10. Below marketability in Wyoming.

April 9, 2025

Oil opening this morning:

56.03

April 10, 2025

Despite the strong relief rally on Wednesday, following President Trump’s 90-day pause of tariff hikes on most countries except China, the U.S. benchmark oil price is now lower than the breakeven for the shale industry to profitably drill a new well.

 OilPrice.com

West Texas is $59.16/bbl.