As other parts of the economy are roiled by crisis, gas prices are holding steady. The national average price for gasoline fell four cents to $3.43 per gallon last week, according to AAA's weekly survey.
That is four cents higher than a month ago but 80 cents less than a year ago. In the meantime, demand for gasoline is surging.
“We may be seeing a return to seasonal trends in demand with warmer weather and longer days,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, in a press release.“But waffling oil prices could mitigate any increase at the pump for now.”
New data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed that gas demand jumped from 8.59 million to 8.96 million barrels per day last week. The surge in demand drew down U.S. gasoline stocks by 6.4 million barrels.
In most cases, higher demand from drivers would push up the price of gasoline, but lower oil prices have helped keep prices down.
Big Business This Week is a guided tour through the biggest market stories of the week, from winning stocks to brutal dips to the facts and forecasts generating buzz on Wall Street.
An Illinois jury ruled this week that several major egg producers conspired to limit the U.S.'s supply of eggs in order to raise prices in a case stemming from a federal lawsuit originally filed 12 years ago.
Consumers are expected to use “buy now, pay later” payment plans heavily this holiday season, a forecast that bodes well for retailers but that has credit experts again sounding alarm bells.
