La Familia de Broward Una herramienta útil para las necesidades de las familias hispanas
Hacia el final de septiembre los precios del petróleo estaban acercándose a $100 por barril. Pero después de tres semanas consecutivas en octubre, los precios del crudo han bajado más de 20 por ciento, hasta esta semana, a $78 por barril. En Estados Unidos, el precio de la gasolina regular sin plomo, según la Asociación Automovilística Americana, ha bajado a $3.35 por galón, desde $3.60 hace un mes.
Sin embargo, esta tendencia bajista puede ser breve. Como lo advierte el último informe del Banco Mundial sobre el Panorama de los Mercados de Materias Primas, divulgado el 30 de octubre, “una escalada en el último conflicto en el Medio Oriente puede empujar los mercados de materias primas hacia aguas inexploradas.” www.worldbank.org/commodities
*Analista y consultor internacional, ex-director de la Oficina de la CEPAL en Washington. Comentarista de economía y finanzas de CNN en Español TV y radio, UNIVISION, TELEMUNDO.
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By the end of September oil prices were approaching $100 dollar per barrel. But after three consecutive weeks in October, crude prices have fallen more than 20 percent, as of this week, to $78 per barrel. In the United States the average price of regular unleaded gasoline, according to the American Automobile Association, is down to $3.35 per gallon, from $3.60 a month ago.
However, this downward trend may be brief. As warned by the World Bank’s last Commodity Markets Outlook, released on October 30, “an escalation of the latest conflict in the Middle East could push commodity markets into uncharted waters.” www.worldbank.org/commodities
Meanwhile, the favorable factors pushing down oil prices persist. Among them, at a monthly production record of over 13 million barrels a day, the United States still is the world’s largest producer. Also, Brazil has registered record crude output and newcomer Guyana has the potential to become a major producer. Additionally, oil from sanctioned producers, such as Iran and Russia, keeps flowing into the world market, while the Chinese economy, the world’s major oil importer, slows down. Finally, after sanctions were lifted following an agreement, Venezuela with the world’s highest proven reserves, can again supply heavy crude oil to specialized refineries in the West Coast of the United States.
*International analyst and consultant, former Director ECLAC Washington. Commentator on economic and financial issues for CNN en Español TV and radio, TELEMUNDO, UNIVISION, and other media.
