By Joseph R. Perone
The Plain Dealer
Published on: 03/07/08

The skinny on prices: The average price of a barrel of oil this year was nearly 20 percent higher than a year ago, pushing past $105 a barrel Thursday.

Why it's rising: China and India are using all of the fuel they can for growing energy and transportation needs.

What it means to you: Gasoline and home-heating oil costs are rising, and so is the cost of goods trucked to market.

Where it's going: Don't be surprised if gas spikes to $4 a gallon.

The skinny on prices: Futures contracts for copper were selling for more than $390 a pound this week, up from $280 a year ago.

Why it's rising: China continues to consume enormous amounts of copper for telecommunications and data systems as it builds more cities.

What it means to you: Copper has been jumping in price for several years.

Where it's going: Could challenge the all-time high of $420 a pound set in May 2006.

To reach this Newhouse News Service reporter:

jperone@starledger.com

Sources: Jeffrey Mayer, president of MXenergy, a Stamford, Conn., company that sells electricity and natural gas to consumers; Paul Sorbara, chief executive of Golden Goliath Resources, a gold and silver exploration company in Vancouver, British Columbia; Shawn Hackett, president of Hackett Financial Advisors in Boynton Beach, Fla.; and Chuck Kowalski, a 15-year veteran of the commodities industry, who analyzes the market for Web information site About.com.

SOURCES: Jeffrey Mayer, president of MXenergy; Paul Sorbara, chief executive of Golden Goliath Resources;

Shawn Hackett, president of Hackett Financial Advisors; Chuck Kowalski, About.com.