As several geopolitical conflicts rage in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, the average price of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County increased Monday for the 13th day in a row, rising nine-tenths of a cent to $5.701 a gallon.
The pump price’s average has jumped 29.6 cents over the last 13 days, including nine-tenths of a cent Sunday, according to the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. The price is 15.8 cents higher than a week ago, 22.7 cents more than one month ago and $1.232 above the average one year ago.
The price has spiked $1.007 since the start of the joint U.S./Israel attack against Iran on Feb. 28. The resulting high oil prices set forward rapid pump-price increases for consumers.
In Orange County, the average gasoline price increased for the 14th consecutive day, rising four-tenths of a cent to $5.638. OC’s average price has risen 33.9 cents during the last 14 days, including a 1.1-cent increase on Sunday.
The Orange County average gas price is 15.9 cents higher than one week ago, 29.8 cents more than one month ago and $1.223 more than one year ago. Regular gasoline’s cost has gone up $1.002 since the attack on Iran.
The national average price was unchanged Monday, holding at $4.11. Sunday capped an 11-day streak of increases that totaled 25.2 cents with a tenth-of-a- cent decrease. The national average is 10.7 cents higher than a week ago, 23.2 cents more than one month ago and 96.5 cents more costly than the average at the same time last year.
The national average has risen $1.128 since the attack against Iran.
The conflict has resulted in thousands of civilian deaths, targeted killings of Iranian political leaders and military personnel and U.S. casualties totaling as many as 18 service members, according to published reports. Israel has reported dozens of fatalities among civilians and soldiers.
“Average gasoline and diesel prices rose in nearly every state over the last week, as continued escalations between the U.S. and Iran, renewed Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, and fresh Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries combined to keep upward pressure on both crude and refined product markets,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, which provides real-time gas price information from more than 150,000 stations, said in a statement Monday.
“However, a weekend pullback in hostilities offered some relief, with oil prices opening sharply lower Sunday, suggesting the pace of increases at the pump may moderate in the days ahead,” De Haas said. “For now, motorists should expect prices to remain elevated, but the intensity of further gains will depend heavily on how the geopolitical situation develops in the coming week.”
The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gas in Riverside County increased Monday for the 13th day in a row day, rising six-tenths of a cent to $5.581.
The average price has risen 34.6 cents over the past 13 days, a 1.2-cent uptick Sunday. It is 17.7 cents more than a week ago, 28.1 cents higher than a month ago and $1.269 greater than at the same time lasts year.
The average price has increased $1.03 since the start of the joint U.S./Israel attack on Iran on Feb. 28, which sent oil prices higher and drastically accelerated increases at the gas pump.
In San Bernardino County, the average pump price for regular gas was $5.583 Monday, up two-tenths of a cent from $5.551 the previous day. The average was $5.421 a week ago, $5.327 one month ago and $4.343 one year ago.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, taxes and fees, cleaner burning but more expensive fuel blends and refinery issues result in inflated prices at California gas stations.
