[en] The impact that long-term marginal cost pricing of electricity would have on Quebec residential customers was investigated. The main conclusion was that such a practice would result in price increases ranging from 18% to 28%, regardless of any adjustment of consumption to price. Hydro-Quebec's current pricing policy was considered by some as regressive with respect to income, and that it would be made even more regressive by the introduction of marginal cost pricing. It was argued that since the fixed monthly charge is regressive by nature, it was within the government's power to correct this negative effect on income distribution associated with marginal cost pricing by lowering the fixed monthly charge. According to these authors, the regressivity argument used to justify the current average cost pricing formula was considered weak. 19 refs., 5 tabs

[en] Highlights: • We examine regulation and performance of the Dutch electricity retail market. • Regulation is fairly intensive and encompasses various types of measures. • Retailers increasingly offer different types of retail products. • Gross retail margins remain relatively high, as is price dispersion across retailers. • The market matured, as evidenced by few consumer complaints and high switching rates. -- Abstract: This paper examines market structure, regulation, and market performance of the Dutch electricity retail market for households since its opening in 2004. Using data containing monthly prices for all products offered in the Dutch retail electricity markets over the period 2008–2014, we provide quantitative results on the intensity of retail competition and the benefits to consumers. Regulation of the retail electricity market is relatively intensive and encompasses structural measures, contractual restrictions, rules on information provision, price surveillance and market monitoring. In contrast to most other countries, the Dutch regulation includes a kind of price regulation which is that the regulator surveys all new retail prices before market introduction in order to prevent too high retail prices. The Dutch retail electricity market has remained relatively concentrated, with retailers offering an increasing variety of retail products, often using multiple brands. Competition is characterized by product innovation, especially for green energy, rather than price competition on homogenous products. Gross retail margins remain relatively high, as is price dispersion across retailers. The market matured, as evidenced by fewer consumer complaints and higher switching rates.

[en] This reports documents the 1995-1996 United States Department of Energy (USDOE) program to monitor No. 2 heating oil and propane prices. Data reported encompass states that are heavily dependent on these products. Twelve surveys were conducted semimonthly to obtain the necessary price information from retail fuel merchants and propane dealers. Surveys began on October 2, 1995 and ended on March 18, 1996. Responses were analyzed to avoid questionable prices. Tables and graphs included in the report reflect the general activity of the prices furnished during the surveys. 3 figs., 2 tabs

[en] This paper deals with oil pricing. Different aspects are discussed in this connection. The paper gives some ideas that are circulating through some of the top oil company planning departments today

[en] Using weekly data for the period March 1991 to August 2002, we estimate the response of retail gasoline prices to changes in crude oil and spot gasoline prices in the US allowing for a possibility of two types of cost shocks to the gasoline market: long-term and short-term shocks. Our conclusion is that theoretical models should be developed that allow more than one type of input price changes and the different effect of input price changes on output prices. The empirical results support the conjecture of two types of cost shocks. As such, we find that lags in the response of retail gasoline prices to changes in crude oil prices may be due to the fact that approximately 97% of changes in crude oil prices are viewed as short-term by the market participants. When two types of shocks are considered, there is large difference between the cumulative response function of gasoline prices to long-term and short-term shocks to crude oil prices. As such, this paper adds to our understanding of the price stickiness of gasoline prices. (Author)

[en] Throughout the 1980s, Latin American countries struggled with economic stagnation compounded by hyperinflation. A report by the Inter-American Development Bank finds marked improvement in the economies of Latin America, based upon its analysis of 1991 statistics. This issue taps two recent studies of the region, and its own Fuel Price/Tax Series, to track the trends for a view of a brighter future

[en] The recent increases in the price of automotive fuels, especially gasoline is discussed. The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) makes several recommendation as to how the government might intervene to bring prices back down to a realistic level. First and foremost, the CAA recommends an outright gasoline tax cut, noting that tax on gasoline has increased from 1.5 cent to 10 cents a litre since 1885. The CAA also suggests that a minimum of 5 cents reduction in price would result if the GST were applied only on an ex-tax basis instead of being tacked on to the total pump price after federal and provincial taxes have been added, which in effect amounts to a tax on tax. The provinces could also help by cutting back on their gasoline taxes which range from a low of 9 cents in Alberta to a high of 16.5 cents in Newfoundland. It is noted that the Ottawa-based Canadian Petroleum Products Institute, which represents the major oil companies, does not support the CAA suggestions and dismisses concerns regarding the near-monopoly in the market held by a few major oil companies by saying that while there are admittedly fewer small independents in the market, competition from new larger entrants has actually increased. The Institute spokesman attributes the recent round of price increases as merely the results of world market forces (despite the fact that Canada is a net exporter of oil). At the same time, the Independent Retail Gasoline Merchant Association wants the government to conduct a fundamental review of the Competition Act, to harmonize Canadian laws with those of the United States, our largest trading partner. The Association believes that the Competition Bureau has evolved into a a quasi-judicial body, and is mired in red tape. The Association also suggests that in the meantime, the government should invoke the Energy Supplies Emergency Act to stop Big Oil's 'deceitful price gouging'

[en] The Norwegian electricity market was deregulated in 1991. We present and discuss the major implications for prices, market organisation, utility organisation, customer handling, risk management, and investment decisions. The functioning of the wholesale and retail markets and the importance of adequate tariff structures are pointed out. (author). 2 figs

[en] This article analyses the retail price adjustments in the Dutch gasoline market. We estimate an asymmetric error correction model on weekly price changes for the years 1996-2001. We construct five datasets, one for each working day. The conclusions on asymmetric pricing are shown to differ over these datasets, suggesting that the choice of the day for which the prices are observed matters more than commonly believed. In our view, the insufficient robustness of the outcomes might explain the mixed conclusions found in the literature. Using these two approaches, we also show that the effect of asymmetry on the Dutch consumer costs is negligible. (Author)

[en] It has been argued that there are certain idiosyncrasies in Australian petrol price behaviour. To the extent that these idiosyncrasies result in large magnitude differences in petrol prices, they may be exploited by consumers to significantly reduce their household expenditure on the product. Similarly, such seasonalities may influence retailers in their purchase and storage decision. The objective of this paper is to test for seasonalities in the Australian retail petrol market. The approach adopted is similar to that for determining calendar anomalies as documented in the financial and commodity markets literature. We find that a monthly seasonal effect is pronounced with petrol prices lower in the months of February-May and highest in July and August. A day-of-the-week effect is also apparent and is manifest in all petrol prices for capital cities (Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney) across various years. However, the half-month effect, as is common in stock returns, is not observed. Moreover, contrary to popular belief that petrol prices are higher surrounding holidays, no evidence of the holiday effect is found. In Brisbane and Melbourne, petrol prices also have some relationship to the mood of consumers, as proxied using weather conditions. This is not observed in Adelaide and Sydney. (Author)