The non-hack thinking here is that gas prices are set by supply and demand on international markets. There was a pandemic, which caused demand to crater (to the point where oil prices actually went into negative territory). That price decline caused a supply crunch, and then when economies came back from recessions (multiple countries), supply wasn't sufficient, and so prices rose, which then led to supply increases and a leveling off. This is how markets work generally. Prices send signals to suppliers, who adjust their behavior accordingly.