COLUMBUS – The price of gas in Columbus comes in slightly cheaper than the national average as the workweek begins, but is higher than it has been in over a month.
Gas prices have recently remained relatively low as a result of lower crude oil costs (see graph).
But industry analyst Trilby Lundberg says it’s less likely that prices will continue to slide because crude oil prices are almost unchanged from a month ago.
“Now, they appear to be somewhat stable, about the same price as crude oil was about five weeks ago, and the fluctuations seem to be in a bit narrower range,” she said.
In Lundberg’s biweekly survey, the nationwide average price of gasoline dropped 5 cents since Feb. 8 to $1.77 a gallon. The central Ohio average price increased 25 cents during the same time frame to $1.70 in Monday’s survey from auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and WEX Inc. That’s 13 cents higher than a week ago but 63 cheaper than last year at this time.
The nationwide average price of $1.71 is a penny higher than last Monday.
Ohio’s average price was about $1.69, up 9 cents since last week but 59 cents less than the average a year ago.