Flirt

As gasoline prices flirt with the $4/gallon level, the Senate majority is preparing a showdown with Republicans over rescinding major producers’ oil and natural gas subsidies.

Giving back almost all of the 18.7 cents it had gained on Wednesday, the May futures contract Thursday afternoon retreated 16.8 cents to close at $5.765. The decline ended a hectic day that saw the prompt month challenge the $6 mark, notching a high of $5.99. However, it appeared overhead selling prevented the market from breaking above the psychological $6 level, sending prices lower.

Just when it appeared the May Nymex contract was in a positionto resume its upward ways, the contract duped hopeful bullishtraders by falling 4.2 cents to $2.479 Thursday. Perhaps moreimportant than the magnitude of the loss is that May failed to moveabove resistance at $2.56, and that the contract spent time belowits significant $2.465 level for a time Thursday before recoveringduring its final half hour of trading.