Oil prices continued their rise today after a small drop on Tuesday despite concerns that OPEC is concerned about a fall in global demand for crude during the second quarter. Consumers have been hit hard by rising oil prices coming as a result of the lower U.S. dollar and supply-and-demand issues. Meanwhile, a Fed bent on continued interest rate cuts means consumer goods and energy prices are only likely to go higher while stocks and investments trend lower amid continued financial turmoil. And in the meantime, unemployment is on the rise with job pay remaining steady despite the declining dollar.

From BusinessWeek:
Oil prices rose Wednesday after dropping sharply in the previous session on the possibility that OPEC will raise output and on expectations that U.S. crude supplies are continuing to rise. Chakib Khelil, president of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, said the cartel is shying away from boosting production due to expectations that global demand for crude will fall during the second quarter.