[iso1631]

> The challenge with oil is not so much the price but the fact that it keeps changing wildly unpredictably and that these swings seem to be getting more common. Those wilds swings are very damaging to industries that depend on those prices either being high (like shale oil) or low (any company that buys oil or gas in large quantities).

Isn't that the point of futures contracts - to smooth variable prices?

[davedx]

Yes - there are a number of financial instruments that large producers and consumers can and do use to hedge their risk. It's not necessarily easy and doesn't always work, and everything has a cost, but these claims of high oil "destroying the economy" (without providing any evidence) are a bit overblown.

[jillesvangurp]

Doesn't seem to be working that well lately.