Auto Club: Gas Prices Climb Nearly 22 Cents in One Month; July Price is within 5 Cents of Record Monthly Average

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Southern California's average price for regular gasoline rose nearly 22 cents during the past month to come within 5 cents of the all-time record monthly average, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California monthly Fuel Gauge Report.

LOS ANGELES — Southern California's average price for regular gasoline rose nearly 22 cents during the past month to come within 5 cents of the all-time record monthly average, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California monthly Fuel Gauge Report.


The Southern California July average price for regular self-serve unleaded gasoline is $2.592 which compares to a June 14 average of $2.375 and comes within the all-time record monthly average of $2.642 set in April 2005. This is the highest July average recorded by the Fuel Gauge Report, exceeding the 2004 average by 34.6 cents.


"Traders and speculators have driven up the price of crude oil and gasoline over concerns about how the hurricane season in the Gulf region will affect production," said Auto Club Spokeswoman Carol Thorp. "Crude oil prices have fallen below the $60 per barrel range, so motorists might expect to see prices stop increasing as much or level off in the coming days."


Statewide, the average price for July is $2.589, up from $2.359 in June. The lowest average price in California still is in Marysville, where regular is selling for $2.430. South Lake Tahoe reported the state's highest average price at $2.758. Santa Barbara was close behind at $2.722. Nationally, the average price is $2.314, up from $2.13 in June.


Source: Business Wire, AAA