With a build of over 3 million barrels in the latest week, oil inventories continue to swell. As shown in the chart, even though we are now in the period of the year when oil stockpiles typically decline, this year they are moving in the opposite direction. As a result, inventories are near their highest levels this year, and relative to average, are now higher than at any other point this year.

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By Brad Zigler

US crude prices fell sharply on Tuesday, but ratcheted upward overnight ahead of the week's US Energy Department inventory report release.

Summer is winding down. But before it can officially be called, we need to get through Labor Day weekend. In these savings-crazy times, will enough people hit the road to drive the gasoline ETF upward?

There’s no time like Labor Day to get behind the wheel, and low prices could be enough to get more drivers on the road and give the gas ETF a much-needed lift. Craig Schneider for AJC reports that there is actually good news at the gasoline pump this time around. The average metro Atlanta gas price is $2.53 a gallon, down 9 cents from a month ago and well below the national average of $2.67 a gallon, according to AAA.