THE BMZ ACADEMY
@061 262 1185/068 053 8213
BMZ ACADEMY 061 262 1185/068 053 8213Page 1 of 12
, THE BMZ ACADEMY
Question 1
i. Economics term used to describe the situation is surplus or excess supply.
An oil glut refers to a situation where the quantity of oil supplied exceeds the
quantity demanded at the prevailing price. This leads to a market surplus, resulting
in falling oil prices as producers compete to sell excess inventory.
ii. Draw a diagram of the market for oil that illustrates the market
condition depicted in the cartoon.
Excess supply
Surplus
iii. Explain the adjustment process to the new equilibrium position in the
market for oil.
When a surplus (or oil glut) occurs, the quantity of oil supplied exceeds the quantity
demanded at the current market price. This creates downward pressure on the price
of oil as producers compete to sell off excess inventory.
As the price of oil begins to fall, two things happen:
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