Gas Prices Level Off In Last Week

This past week brought a bit of stability at the gas pump as gasoline prices ended their slow rise of recent weeks and began to level off.

Today, the national average price of self-serve regular is $3.659 a gallon, up from $3.647 last Friday, according to AAA. That's about two cents more than the price a month ago.

The price of diesel fuel today is $3.911, up from $3.900 a week ago.

There continues to be a disconnect between the price of crude oil and retail gasoline. On the oil market in recent weeks, prices have remained soft because of the belief that global economic growth is slowing.

“Consumers looking for some relief at the retail level have been countered by recent refinery issues and hurricane concerns on the Gulf and East Coasts that have kept upward pressure on gasoline prices at the pump, even as relatively lower crude prices have exerted downward pressure on prices,” said Avery Ash, AAA's manager of federal relations.

While the U.S. appears to have ample supplies of both crude oil and refined gasoline, it's not having much impact on retail gasoline prices. In fact, U.S. News reported this week that U.S. refiners are exporting a record amount of refined fuel out the country, to Europe and Asia.

The states with the most expensive gasoline today are:

• Hawaii ($4.150)
• Connecticut ($3.950)
• Alaska ($3.950)
• California ($3.946)
• New York ($3.893)
• Illinois ($3.882)
• Washington ($3.886)
• Michigan ($3.852)
• Oregon ($3.840)
• North Dakota ($3.842)
• Minnesota ($3.801)

The states with the least expensive gasoline today are:

•  South Carolina ($3.427)
• Arizona ($3.454)
• Tennessee ($3.473)
• Mississippi ($3.478)
• Texas ($3.483)
• Virginia ($3.494)
• Alabama ($3.497)
• Arkansas ($3.505)
• Missouri ($3.508)
• Louisiana ($3.517)