Stations Use Futures Market to Cope With High Fuel Prices

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ome filling-station owners are moving to the futures market to cope with rising fuel prices, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

The paper said that some stations have had success in locking in prices at lower rates for some of their stocks.

Refiners generally price their unbranded retail products at 2% to 3% below name brands, which lets independent stations position themselves as cheaper alternatives, the Journal said in its front-page story.

Major oil companies own about 5% of U.S. gas stations, while about 60% carry oil companies’ signage but are operated independently, the paper reported.