MO gas average decreases, U.S. prices steady

As U.S. prices held steady, the Missouri gas average dropped 4.9 cents during the past week to $3.51 per gallon yesterday.

The state's average was 5 cents lower than a month ago but 20 cents higher than a year ago. The U.S. average yesterday of $3.64 per gallon represented a 6.9-cent increase month-to-month and a 7.8-cent bump year-to-year, according to a GasBuddy.com news release. GasBuddy analyzes 3,940 filling stations daily in Missouri.

Missouri's average, which was unchanged this morning, ranked the state No. 19 on GasBuddy's list of the lowest gas averages in the U.S. At $3.19 per gallon, South Carolina topped the list, and Hawaii was last at $4.32 per gallon.

The lowest price for gasoline in Missouri this morning was selling for $3.18 per gallon at a station in Kennett, located in the Bootheel. The highest price, $3.79 per gallon, was available at two stations in Branson and three stations in West Quincy, according to MissouriGasPrices.com.

In Springfield, a low price of $3.55 per gallon was selling at:

• Casey's, 4124 W. Chestnut Expressway and 325 W. Cardinal Drive;
• Hy-Vee, 1720 W. Battlefield Road; and
• Valero, 1310 W. Grand St.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil was trading at $96.26 per barrel as of 9:34 a.m., compared to $91.61 per barrel a week ago. Light sweet crude oil futures for July were trading at $95.65 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.