Wyoming's capital also has fewer short-term spikes in 24-hour particle pollution.

"Only brave hearts would go against the current move with the risk of a short-term spike looming," said Ole S Hansen, senior commodity strategist at Saxo Bank.

And beyond the short-term spike, inflation should continue on a downward path well into 2010 thanks to competitive pressures.

Ultimately, an energy exchange can reduce dramatically the price risk related to short-term spikes in load profiles.

This time, he said, it was "traders watching short-term spikes."

But even this optimism would not stop a short-term spike in prices, with customers and speculators rushing to buy whatever supplies are available.

Second, Saudi Arabia has the ability to use its oil production capacities to reduce the effect of short-term spikes in the oil market.

That is because a short-term spike in the dollar could easily wipe out the interest earned.

Did we call this short-term spike?

The pricing, which I.B.M. refers to as on-demand computing, will also respond to short-term spikes in processing needs like rush orders to design and build a new product.