The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.

Mark Twain

What’s New at IIC

Role of Speculation on Oil Prices

IIC, Inc. has recently completed a comprehensive analysis of the reasons that led to the rapid increase and consequent decline in crude oil and refined product prices last year. We found that the devaluation of the dollar and the role of speculators have the greatest impact on the rise in crude oil prices, and these same factor also contributed to the decline as did the recession. Fundamental supply and demand factors did not play a role in the 380 percent increase in crude prices in 2008, and indeed we find that these factors should have led to a price decline, not a price increase. The impact of speculation on gasoline prices likely cost consumers $27 billion last year. Read more

Analysis of the New §1.482 Services Regulations
The Internal Revenue Service revised services regulations that provide new transfer pricing methods for controlled service transactions and include a revised cost safe harbor called the Services Cost Method (SCM). This brief presentation provides a helpful overview to the changes in the regulations for tax planners and examiners. Read more

Federal Minimum Wage Increase
IIC’s research is looking at whether increases in the minimum wage requirement and changes in health care coverage have had a disproportional impact on small business owners. Read more

Antitrust and Small Business
IIC recently published a report on behalf of the SBA which investigates how antitrust laws impact small firms — with case studies focusing on the retail grocery and timber industries. Read more

28th Annual USAEE/IAEE North American Conference
IIC principal Lee O. Upton, III presented a paper on offshore Gulf of Mexico oil and gas activity at North American Conference of the U.S. Association for Energy Economics (USAEE). Read more

Mass. School Building Authority Enrollment Projection Model
IIC assisted the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) in the development of a computer-based enrollment projection model. Read more