Business
Gas station owners, blamed when prices rise, face risks when prices fall
Gas prices are falling almost as quickly as they rise, creating new headaches for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs and other independent operators who run about half of all gas stations in the US.
Fuel station owners set the price that consumers see at the pump, based on how much they initially paid to fill up their underground gas and diesel tanks. They have to sell that fuel for a commensurate amount to recover their investments and manage profits, which can take days or weeks, depending on how fast their inventory turns.