by Calculated Risk on 6/11/2012 12:23:00 PM

There is plenty of confusion regarding the Spanish bank aid. See the Financial Times Alphaville: Just buying time? , An ESM subordination ... save? and on rumors of capital controls.

From Bloomberg: U.S. Gasoline Fell to $3.6243 a Gallon, Lundberg Survey

The average price of regular gasoline at U.S. filling stations declined 15.9 cents in the past three weeks to $3.6243 a gallon, according to Lundberg Survey Inc.

... The price is down 11.62 cents from a year earlier. The highest average this year was $3.9671 during the two weeks ended April 6.

“Europeans’ misfortunes are American fuel consumers gain,” Trilby Lundberg, president of Lundberg Survey, said today in a telephone interview. “Our dollar looks strong against the weaker euro, which has reduced the price of crude.”

The euro has declined further today with the confusion around the Spanish bank aid.

Oil prices are down again today. Brent is down to $98.56 per barrel, and WTI is down to $83.36. The lower oil prices will not only lead to lower gasoline prices, but also a lower trade deficit and lower headline inflation (CPI).

The following graph shows the decline in gasoline prices. Gasoline prices are down significantly from the peak in early April. Gasoline prices in the west had been impacted by refinery issues, but prices are now falling there too.

Note: The graph shows oil prices for WTI; gasoline prices in most of the U.S. are impacted more by Brent prices.

Orange County Historical Gas Price Charts Provided by GasBuddy.com