MO gas prices up 24 cents from last month

Missouri average retail gasoline prices climbed 3.8 cents per gallon Aug. 20–26, settling at $3.60 per gallon yesterday.

The statewide average increased at a greater pace than the national rate though Missouri’s pricing remains below the U.S. average of $3.73 per gallon, according to a GasBuddy.com news release. The national average price increased 3 cents a gallon the past week.

Missouri prices are now 24 cents per gallon higher than this time last month and 10 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The statewide increase is on par with the national average, which is up 23 cents the last month and 12 cents compared to last year.

"The national average has perked up slightly in the last week as oil prices have advanced," said GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan in the release. "While that may be notable, soon-to-be Hurricane Isaac will be the story this week. It's entirely within the realm of possibility that we see refinery outages, oil production losses and gasoline supply issues – essentially all the things you don't want to happen.”

The Missouri average, which increased 1 cent this morning, ranked the state No. 13 on GasBuddy.com's list of the lowest gas averages in the U.S. With an average of $3.47 per gallon, South Carolina ranked No. 1, and Hawaii was at the bottom of the list with an average of $4.24 per gallon.


In Missouri, the least expensive gas could be found for $3.35 per gallon at Kum & Go and Murphy USA filling stations in Monett. The most expensive gas, $3.82 per gallon, was available at a station in Malden, according to MissouriGasPrices.com.


Springfield consumers could purchase the least expensive gas in the city for $3.43 per gallon at Sam's Club, 745 W. El Camino Alto Drive, while several Casey’s, a Kum & Go and a Conoco were retailing for $3.47 per gallon.


West Texas Intermediate crude oil was trading at $94.90 per barrel as of 11:24 a.m., compared to a 52-week range of $75.92 to $109.95. Light sweet crude oil futures for October were trading at $94.74 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.