Ongoing Middle East violence sends fuel prices back up

Don’t look now, but gas prices are rising again.

Not to worry, Don Redman with AAA inNew Orleans said. Prices are not expected to reach the $4-plus per gallon we saw last summer.

Redman said the near 10-cent price spike the area has seen so far this month has been a reaction caused by the recent strife in the Middle East where Israel invaded the Gaza Strip.

“Most analysts say once that situation is settled, you’ll see prices drop,” Redman said, adding it’s anyone’s guess when that will occur.

Peace talks are ongoing, but the violence continues, and as long as that area remains volatile, gas prices will be too, Redman said.

The average at the start of this month was $1.54 locally. Since then, prices have risen 11 cents to $1.65 on average.

In St. Tammany, station prices vary from $1.50 to $1.70. That’s a stark contrast from this time last year when the national average for gas was $3.10. Today’s national average is $1.76 for regular unleaded fuel. That is pretty low when contrasted to six months ago when prices locally and nationally reached record levels and hovered above $4 per gallon for several months.

Basically, Redman said, no one knows where the price will be next month or even tomorrow.

“No one predicted the tremendous meltdown in the economy. Anybody trying to make a prediction is all guess,” he said.