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Americans also worry about price rises â€“ PHOTOREPORT

Americans also worry about price rises <font color=red>â€“ PHOTOREPORT </font>

13 June 2008 12:44 (UTC +04:00)

For Asgar Khalidi, owner of the filling station located near the road uniting the capital of California Sacramento and San Francisco, rise of price in the Mercantile Exchange is a signal about the rise of the retail price. Yesterday, he increased the price of gasoline by 5 cents for a gallon (3.78 liters), which reached $4.49. A day later the prices will rise again. According to the data published by AAA Company of the US today, average price for a gallon of gasoline has been set at $4.05 for the country and $4.49 for California. Alongside New York and Illinois California is the state, where gasoline is very expensive. Asgar Khalidi, from South Azerbaijan, says that he has never witnessed such hard situation in the US economy. He sold a gallon of gasoline for 76 cents in 1993, on the opening day of the filling station. But in 1993 1 U.S. dollar was trading at 2 Canadian dollars, while today 1 U.S. dollar is trading at 1.97 Canadian dollars. Increase of price for fuel is not the only problem worrying the Americans. In addition purchasing power of dollar is reducing. When Asgar Khalidâ€™s friends were in India, local people refused to take dollar from them.
According to Gallup, 86 percent of US citizens consider that the countryâ€™s economy is developing in wrong direction. Even 83 percent of Middle Americans with annual 100 000 USD income is dissatisfied with the economic processes in the country. The most serious problems concerned the local residents are mortgage percents increased by the banks, high unemployment and raising of petrol prices. Current unemployment rate in the United States is 5.5 per cent and it is highest indication in the past 22 years. What moves are taken the usual Americans to adapt the new situation? Answers are quite different.
Salvatore Ochoa is working in the construction company. He sold his truck and bought old and fuel-efficient Honda Civic. He said he spent 180 USD to overcome 643 km distance a year by his previous vehicle. Now he can save 120 USD with his current car and spent 60 USD for the same distance. Ochoa moved from his home and rented house near his office to save petrol.
Shean Slochum studying in Long Beach near Los Angeles can not visit his parents in San Francisco frequently. It is hard for him to spend 200 USD to overcome 650 kilometers once a week. Recently it took less money.
Black man Chris Strong, a father of five, is working in the power station. He said transport expenses were the most serious problem for his family. Mr. Strong had to save napkins of his babies for the petrol expenses. â€œPetrol price boost effects on everything. Prices of bread, meat, milk and other daily vital requirements are also increased day by day. We think about shorter ways to reach destination and make special plans for this now. We can not leave home in the week-ends as it was earlierâ€.
Asgar Khalidi also confirmed the move of Americans to the economizing regime. His fuel station is selling petrol 1000 gallons less than previous periods. The owners think that sale dynamic will drop considering Wall Street Bankâ€™s forecast about advance in oil price up to 150 USD in July.