Gasoline and food pressure, and inflation in the US reaches the highest level in 40 years in May This week, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, once again pressured American oil companies to reduce gasoline prices. In a post on social media, he complained about the profits of companies in the sector and stated that consumers should not bear such high prices, which began to rise after the escalation of the conflict with Iran in the Middle East. ?? On Monday, the average price of gasoline reached US$4.095 per gallon in the US, around 30% above that recorded in the same period last year, according to data from the American Automobile Association (AAA). Trump stated that companies should pass on to consumers the benefits of the measures adopted by his government to increase oil production. "I don't like that. I should be the last person to say that, because I'm a big supporter of free enterprise, no one more than me. Are you surprised that I said that? I'm going to say it loud and clear. I'm not satisfied," the president told reporters at the White House. The US president also publicly criticized Chevron CEO Mike Wirth for failing to recognize his administration's role in strengthening the oil industry. In Truth Social, he stated that his government "saved" the sector and cited Chevron's return to Venezuela as proof. He also extended criticism to other giants in the sector, such as ExxonMobil, one of the largest oil producers in the world. Oil still on the rise Oil is a globally traded commodity. This means that any threat to global supply quickly affects international prices, even in countries that produce large volumes, such as the USA. The rise in oil prices was driven by the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of world production passes. Whenever threats arise to block the region, investors start to project a smaller supply of oil and the price rises. The situation caused oil company profits to soar. Together, ExxonMobil and Chevron earned US$29 billion (R$147 billion) in the second quarter, more than three times the amount recorded in the same period of the previous year. ??? Brent is the main reference used in the international market to monitor the price of oil. During the escalation of the war in the Middle East, a barrel went from around US$70 to US$126, before falling back to close to US$80 this Tuesday (4), with signs of progress in negotiations between the USA and Iran. According to Nivaldo de Castro, coordinator of the Electrical Sector Study Group (Gesel), at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), even when tension decreases, prices do not fall immediately. "Refineries work with stocks and short, medium and long-term contracts. Therefore, any drop in oil takes time to reach the consumer." As the price of gasoline in the USA follows international oil prices, fuel has become more expensive and has once again put pressure on family budgets. Evolution of the average price of gasoline in the United States Reproduction/American Automobile Association - AAA In May, consumers reported that they started to reduce car trips, concentrate commitments on shorter routes and use public transport more frequently to save fuel. At the time, the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline was even higher: US$4.52 (R$22.64). An Ipsos survey, released by the Washington Post and ABC News, showed that 44% of Americans reduced the number of car trips due to rising gasoline prices. For experts interviewed by g1, Trump's pressure on oil companies has a political effect, but limited capacity to change the prices paid by consumers. Although the USA is today the world's largest oil producer, gasoline sold in the country continues to be strongly influenced by international prices for the commodity, the structure of the refining park and distribution costs. Is there a contradiction in Trump's speech? For Ticiana Alvares, technical director of the Institute for Strategic Studies of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (Ineep), there is a contrast between Trump's demands on oil companies and the foreign policy adopted by the USA. According to her, international conflicts increase investors' perception of risk and put pressure on the international price of oil. "The price of oil is formed in a global market and incorporates expectations. When the risk of supply interruption increases, the barrel rises quickly." The expert recalls that the USA has also increased its participation in oil and natural gas exports in recent years, which benefits part of the energy sector when international prices rise. "The appreciation of oil increases the revenue of some of these companies, at the same time that it makes gasoline more expensive for the American consumer." Why is gasoline still expensive in the USA? It may seem counterintuitive that the world's biggest oil producer has such expensive gasoline, but experts say some U.S. refineries are designed to process heavier types of oil than what is currently produced on a large scale in the country. Therefore, American companies export part of the oil extracted in the country and continue to import other types of crude oil to supply their refineries. These are purchases that follow international prices. According to Castro, from UFRJ, this characteristic makes the American market more exposed to global fluctuations. "The United States exports part of the oil it produces and imports another type of oil to supply its refineries. This means that domestic prices follow fluctuations in the international market much more closely." He explains that, in addition, the fuel chain in the USA is made up of several private companies responsible for production, refining, distribution and resale, which reduces the ability to coordinate