The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in the United States rose in the last three weeks for the first time since early October, as U.S. refineries passed on the cost of higher crude oil prices, according to a widely followed survey released on Sunday.
Gasoline prices averaged $3.3247 per gallon on Jan. 6, up 6.68 cents from Dec. 21, said Trilby Lundberg, editor of the Lundberg Survey.
Prices had declined for the prior 11 weeks, falling 57.96 cents since touching near $3.84 on Oct. 5.
"This rise is a partial pass-through of higher crude oil prices that U.S. refiners are paying," Lundberg said, noting that more price increases may be coming.
"U.S. refiners will need to attempt to complete the pass-through of their higher crude oil costs to marketers and retailers that they supply. That's the main reason we can expect a few more cents at the pump over the next several days, assuming there is no huge change in the price of crude," she said.
Of the cities surveyed, Salt Lake City, Utah, drivers paid the least at $2.76 per gallon, and filling the gas tank cost the most on Long Island, in New York, at $3.75 per gallon.
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