A} Hello Brian, a lot of people may think the same way you do when it comes to the prices of gasoline. You are correct when you say the prices will probably increase after the stay at home order is lifted. However, nobody is trying to fool anyone, the law of demand is demonstrated here because the price was cut 70 cents then people are willing to purchase more fuel. Almost as to “save up, before it increases again.” The reason that the price was cut in the first place may be due to the change in quantity demanded. The lower the price the more people will buy. The other reason that the price was cut 70 cents was that the sellers wanted to be able to have the supply of fuel and found it worth it to cut the price in order to keep the fuel for their customers. The market then finds an equilibrium for the services and price cut for the circumstances and situation that everyone is in for the time being.

B} Brian, in a way you are correct because the stay at home order is a reason why the gas prices have dropped and once the stay at home order is lifted, the gas prices are likely to raise. There is another reason for the gas prices to drop, which is that a lot of people will not be traveling during the stay at home order. The stay at home order will cause a shift in the demand curve for gasoline as the demand for needing gas became lower due to less people using it. I feel that gas is a necessity due to if you have a vehicle and use it on a daily basis, then if gas stations would keep their gas prices at a price that seems more desirable to people, i feel that the gas station would get more business. As for most gas stations, once the stay at home ordered is dropped then gas prices will raise or even sky rocket as all people will travel and need gas for their vehicle. Gas stations will change their prices and will change according to what is around them to stay in business. The demand factors that could be the reasoning for the price decrease are the number of people purchasing gas will lower due to not traveling and the gas station expectations for their customers as they expect not as many people as before will be purchasing gas like for example around the holidays.