Show-Me State gas average rises

The average price for gas in Missouri moved up 5.1 cents during the past week to $1.97 per gallon yesterday, according to GasBuddy.com's daily survey of 3,940 filling stations statewide.

Comparatively, the national average ticked up half a cent to $2.12 per gallon, according to a news release.

With the changes, Missouri’s average was 5.7 cents lower yesterday than a month ago and 45 cents lower than a year ago, and the U.S. average was 12.1 cents below a month ago and 47.8 cents less than a year ago.

"Government (Energy Information Administration) data last week showed a sizable draw on gasoline inventory followed by a strong jobs report, with new jobs for July reaching 255,000,” said Gregg Laskoski, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy, in the release. “And consequently, (West Texas Intermediate) crude oil ended the week nearly $3 higher than where it began.

"While that may create a brief pause early this week in the decline of retail gasoline, we expect that the prevailing price trend - incremental decline - will resume shortly, barring any additional refinery problems in the Midwest or potential Atlantic hurricane activity.”

Missouri’s average was flat at $1.97 per gallon this morning, ranking the state 12th on GasBuddy’s list of the lowest averages in the nation. At $1.80 per gallon, South Carolina topped the list, while Hawaii was at the bottom with a $2.74 per gallon average.

This morning, a station in Desloge, near St. Louis, had the lowest price of gas in Missouri, at $1.68 per gallon. The highest price of $2.89 per gallon was at a station in Ladue, according to MissouriGasPrices.com.

Springfieldians could purchase gas for as low as $1.81 per gallon at three stations: Conoco stores at 320 W. Sunshine St. and 945 S. Campbell Ave. and a Signal store at 2415 S. Campbell Ave. Prices elsewhere in the city ranged from $1.83 to $1.96 per gallon.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil was trading at $42.99 per barrel as of 10:20 a.m., compared with a 52-week range of $32.85 to $54.91. Light sweet crude futures for August were trading at $49.48 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.