What do you think the average price of gasoline in Rhode Island will be in 2009?

Earlier this year, the price of fuel skyrocketed, driving prices for transportation, food and building materials up.

But once the subprime mortgage meltdown caused the economy to crater, and thus drove down demand, fuel prices came back down, in some cases to half their highest levels.

In response, fossil fuel producers cut their rates of production, which in turn caused prices to go back up.

It is unclear how much effect that dropping demand caused by the recession will have on wholesale and retail fuel prices, but it seems likely that there will be volatility in the marketplace for some time.

Where do you think the price of gasoline will be this year?