MO gas average returns to 2012 level

The Missouri gas average fell 3.2 cents during the past week to $3.25 per gallon yesterday, 0.3 cents higher than the same day a year ago.

Missouri's average stood 26 cents lower than a month ago, according to a news release from GasBuddy.com, which surveys 3,940 filling stations in the state.

The U.S. average decreased 0.5 cents during the past week to $3.49 per gallon, representing a 14.4-cent month-to-month decrease but a 7.8-cent year-to-year increase.

Missouri ranked No. 7 this morning on GasBuddy's list of the lowest gas averages in the nation. South Carolina was first on the list, with an average of $3.12 per gallon, while Hawaii was last, at $4.23 per gallon.

At $2.99 per gallon, six stations in Warrensburg were selling the least expensive gas in Missouri. A high price of $3.59 per gallon was available at two stations in Kirksville and Poplar Bluff, according to MissouriGasPrices.com

In Springfield, the Shell station at 1455 E. Independence St. and the Conoco at 1402 E. Republic Road had the lowest price, at $3.14 per gallon.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil was trading at $103.63 per barrel as of 10:27 a.m., compared to $96.56 per barrel a week ago. Light sweet crude oil futures for August were trading at $102.89 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

"After blaming higher gasoline prices on refineries for much of the early spring and summer, it now seems that higher oil prices may be to blame for an expected uptick in the national average," GasBuddy senior petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan said in the release. "Oil prices have silently been tracking higher after tension in Egypt started to impact the market."