--%>

Chance for arbitrage

Assume the price of unleaded regular octane gasoline were 20 cents per gallon higher in New Jersey than in Oklahoma.  Do you think there would be chance for arbitrage (that means. that firms could buy gas in Oklahoma and then sell it at profit in New Jersey)?  Why or why not?

Oklahoma and New Jersey stand for separate geographic markets for gasoline due to high transportation costs.  If transportation costs were zero, a price raise in New Jersey would prompt arbitrageurs to buy gasoline in Oklahoma and sell it in New Jersey.  In this case it is unlikely that the 20 cents per gallon difference in costs would be high sufficient to create a profitable opportunity for arbitrage, given both transactions costs & transportation costs.

   Related Questions in Microeconomics

  • Q : Reduced effectiveness by pressure The

    The increased pace of globalization and the steady development of worldwide demands for petroleum-based products from 2002 have tended to decrease the: (w) derived demand for petroleum. (x) prices of gasoline and electricity. (y) pressures which had reduced OPEC's eff

  • Q : Gaining more Consumer Surplus I have a

    I have a problem in economics on gaining more Consumer Surplus. Please help me in the following question. Sushi lovers would be most probable to gain more consumer surplus as an outcome of rises in the: (i) Price of the steamed rice. (ii) Supply of sushi. (iii) Income

  • Q : Law of Distribution by Pareto “ Law of

    “Law of Distribution” given by Vilfredo Pareto asserts that the: (w) relative prices for goods reflect how intensively labor is used as an input. (x) the percentages of national income going to labor and to capital is a co

  • Q : Interest Rate Reinvestment Risk Explain

    Explain the term Interest Rate Reinvestment Risk in detail?

  • Q : Stabilization function Choose the right

    Choose the right answer of thefollowing problem. In performing its stabilization function, it may be appropriate for the nation's central bank (the Federal Reserve in the United States) to take actions to: A) increase taxes to reduce inflation. B) increase interest ra

  • Q : Long run adjustments The resources of a

    The resources of a firm in the long run which has consistently suffered economic losses are probably to: (i) move into a more profitable industry. (ii) share losses equal to the firm’s fixed costs. (iii) be merged into a firm along with better m

  • Q : Variation of supply of loanable funds

    The supply of loanable funds varies positively along with the: (w) willingness of people to defer consumption into the future. (x) profitability and productivity of new capital investments. (y) price of the output which new capital will produce. (z) f

  • Q : Kinked demand curves and sticky prices

    Sticky prices within oligopoly markets are: (w) predicted by the kinked demand curve model. (x) substantiated by many statistical studies. (y) most common for highly differentiated products. (z) a result of price discrimination.

    Q : Minimum Wage Laws I have a problem in

    I have a problem in economics on Minimum Wage Laws. Please help me in the following question. Minimum wage legislation has been promotes as a technique to: (i) Make sure that workers are paid beneath the subsistence salaries. (ii)  Perpetuate poverty. (iii) Maxim

  • Q : Goal of a cartel The objective of a

    The objective of a cartel is to: (w) permit every member firm to maximize profit. (x) foster competition among sellers. (y) enhance efficiency and lower prices to consumers by eliminating several wasteful forms of competition. (z) maximize the joint p