The average retail price of a gallon of petrol topped $3 in the United States last week in what was the highest price in 25 years.
The national average for self-serve, regular unleaded petrol was $3.0150 per gallon on July 21st, a rise of almost two cents per gallon from two weeks ago when the average was $2.9952, a survey of about 7,000 gas stations found.
Last week's national average exceeds by one-third of a cent a high set last year after Hurricane Katrina caused a gasoline shortage, but was still short of an inflation-adjusted peak of $3.16 set in March 1981, survey author Trilby Lundberg said.
Prices were unlikely to go higher, she said.
"This price increase does not portend more price increases, unless there is a deepened threat to world oil supplies or a force majeure event," she said.
The highest price for petrol was found in San Diego at an average $3.28 a gallon, and the lowest regional average was in Charleston, South Carolina, at $2.77 a gallon, she said.
