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Gas Prices Remain Flat

Still higher than last November's price

By Mark Huffman
ConsumerAffairs.com

November 19, 2009
Consumers nationwide are paying about the same for gas as they did last Friday. The national average price of self-serve regular is $2.642 a gallon, according to AAA's Fuel Gauge Report, almost the same as last Friday.

The average price of diesel fuel is $2.822, compared to $2.827 last week.

In the last seven days world oil prices have retreated from prices approaching $80 a barrel. Prices have declined in the wake of traders' concerns about the speed of economic recovery. As a result, the average U.S. gas price has not gone over its high for the year -- at about $2.70 a gallon.

Missouri has the cheapest gas in the U.S. today, with an average price of $2.463. It's followed by South Carolina at $2.477 and Oklahoma at $2.499.

The most expensive gas is in Alaska, with a statewide average of $3.424, followed by Hawaii at $3.348 and California at $2.943 a gallon.

In California, the most expensive gas is in the San Francisco market, with an average price of $3.063 a gallon. The cheapest gas in the Golden State is in Yuba City, with an average price of $2.714 a gallon.

The Thanksgiving test

"An interesting snapshot of the broader US economy and specifically the mood of U.S. motorists will come soon with the Thanksgiving holiday," said Andrew Delmege, AAA's manager of regulatory affairs. "The number of travelers who hit the road during the long holiday weekend will provide insight into how consumers feel about spending money on gasoline and other travel-related expenses. An increase in travel by car may suggest consumers are feeling better about the broader economic picture and that retail gasoline prices are at levels comfortable enough to not hinder their travel plans."

Though gasoline prices are stable, they are still above where they were this time last year, when they were falling in the midst of the worst economic meltdown in decades. The national average retail gasoline price at this time in 2008 was $2.10 per gallon for self serve regular.

Interestingly, beginning in November of last year retail prices were falling an average of 2 cents a day heading towards a low price in late December.

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