Gas prices crept up about a dime per gallon in Tampa Bay this week as better news about European economies helped boost world oil markets.
Worse for drivers, that rise will likely continue this week.
A gallon of regular unleaded now averages $3.35 in Tampa Bay, up from $3.26 a week ago, and down from $3.48 a month ago, according to data from AAA Auto Club South. Statewide, a gallon now averages $3.43, up from $3.35 a week ago and $3.55 a month ago.
Oil prices had been falling recently, but rose again as traders watched progress in resolving Europe's debt crisis, and the U.S. Commerce Department showed retail sales grew 1.1 percent last month.
Traders had been waiting more than a month for any reason to start trading up oil prices, said AAA spokeswoman Jessica Brady. Unless oil starts dropping again in price, "we're likely to see gas prices continue to increase."
The crowd-sourced website GasBuddy.com saw a slightly larger jump in price in Tampa Bay, up 10.1 cents per gallon over last week.
"We're seeing gasoline prices continue their volatile trend, and this time that trend is upward," said Patrick DeHaan, a petroleum analyst with GasBuddy.
Wholesale gas prices are already rising to a level that last autumn pushed the national average to $3.66 per gallon.
"So far, the national average hasn't taken off like the number of Detroit Lions football fans, but I do expect that over the next week, we'll see a continued rise in gasoline prices."
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