Monday, June 15, 2009

Gas prices up 17 cents in 2 weeks

(CNN) -- Prices at the pump went up nearly 17 cents over the last two weeks, according to a survey published Sunday.

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular is $2.66, the Lundberg Survey found. The same survey found prices an average of 16.68 cents lower two weeks ago.

The price -- calculated by averaging prices at thousands of gas stations nationwide -- is $1.34 lower than the average one year ago.

Last year in June, retail gas prices were nudging the $4 mark, and stayed at that level or above until late July.

The most recent increase is not a reflection of increased demand, according to survey publisher Trilby Lundberg.

"It's a direct result of continued increases in the price of crude, with crude oil itself responding to a flight from the weaker dollar on the expectation of rising inflation from federal monetary policy," Lundberg said. "Demand is not increasing. It is shrinking."

0:00/3:53Behind oil's steady rise

Lundberg said there is no reason to expect gas prices will reach the $4-plus levels of last summer but "it might certainly feel that high to many consumers, especially those who are unemployed."

The city with the lowest average price in the survey was Tucson, Arizona, at $2.41, for a gallon of self-serve regular.

The highest average was in San Francisco, California, at $2.99.

Here are the average prices in some other cities:

Houston, Texas - $2.45

St. Louis, Missouri - $2.45

Denver, Colorado - $2.49

Atlanta, Georgia - $2.52

Boston, Massachusetts - $2.63

Seattle, Washington - $2.82

Chicago, Illinois - $2.92