Show-Me State gas average falls nearly 9 cents

The average price of gasoline in Missouri fell 8.7 cents during the past week to $3.26 per gallon yesterday, according to GasBuddy.com's survey of 3,940 filling stations in the state.

Comparatively, the national average decreased by 4.9 cents during the past week to land at $3.51 per gallon on July 27, according to a news release.

Missouri prices yesterday were 26.6 cents lower than a month ago and 22.8 cents lower than a year ago. The U.S. average dropped by 16.5 cents during the past month and by 11.7 cents in the past year.

"The national average as of today has been on decline for a month straight," GasBuddy Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan said in the release. "The drop in gas prices during the middle of the summer certainly has been welcome relief to families and individuals alike who are hitting the road during the peak of the summer driving season.

"The national average now stands at its lowest point since March of this year, and will likely drop under $3.50 per gallon by mid-week."

This morning, Missouri ranked No. 3 on GasBuddy's list of the lowest gas averages in the nation, behind No. 1 South Carolina, at $3.25 per gallon, and Oklahoma, which was less than a cent lower than the Show-Me State.

In Missouri, the lowest price for gas was available at a station in Columbia for $2.98 per gallon. Two stations in Leadington and St. Louis were selling gas at the highest price of $3.59 per gallon, according to MissouriGasPrices.com.

At $3.15 per gallon, the 2720 W. Kearney St. Conoco station had the lowest price in Springfield this morning. Prices at other filling stations ranged from $3.16 per gallon to $3.18 per gallon.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil was trading at $102.09 per barrel as of 9:14 a.m., compared to $103.13 per barrel a week ago. Light sweet crude oil futures for September were trading at $101.34 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.