Auto Club: Pump Prices Reverse Course, Begin Rising As Middle East Tensions Escalate

Gas prices in Southern California and nationwide have reversed course and have begun rising in the last few days as Middle East attacks have increased threats to steady oil supplies, according to the Auto Club's Weekend Gas Watch. Today's statewide average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $5.38, which is two cents less than last week and 84 cents higher than at this time last year. The national average is $3.84, which is one cent higher than last week and 68 cents higher than on this date last year.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $5.40 per gallon, one cent lower than last week and 86 cents higher than a year ago. In San Diego, the average price is $5.45, which is the same as last week and 84 cents higher than this time last year.

On the Central Coast, the average price is $5.52, the same as last week and $1.01 higher than a year ago. In Riverside, the average price per gallon is $5.22, one cent lower than last week and 84 cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $5.56 average is four cents lower than last week and $1.07 higher than one year ago.

"Oil Price Information Service reports that investor anxiety this week about Middle East tensions disrupting oil supplies has significantly increased wholesale gasoline prices, leading to price jumps at the pump," said Auto Club spokesperson Kandace Redd. "It's hard to know if this is a trend that will continue or just a temporary pause to the downward price trend that has been happening since mid-May."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on July 9, averages are: