Gas prices steady for second straight week

KINGSTON, N.Y. » The average retail gasoline price in New York state was unchanged last week, remaining at $2.49 per gallon on Sunday.

It was the second consecutive week with no change in the average, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

“The first week of the summer driving season is now under our belts, and we saw little change in gas prices nationally,” said Patrick DeHaan, a senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy. “Prices have seen little change, and as we continue to progress into the summer, we’re seeing gas prices now roughly the same as a year ago in many places.

“Oil markets failed to be convinced last week by OPEC’s production cuts as U.S. oil production rises to its highest level since summer 2015,” DeHaan added. “This has kept the price of oil constrained and keeps the door propped open for gasoline prices to remain at historically low levels as millions of Americans take to the road.”

New York’s average gas price on Sunday was 2.2 cents lower than a month earlier but 4.6 cents higher than a year ago.

The national average on Sunday was $2.37 per gallon, which was 0.9 cents higher than a week earlier, 1.9 cents higher than a month ago and 0.5 cents higher than a year ago.

In the Kingston-Ulster area Tuesday afternoon, most stations were selling 87-octane unleaded for $2.33 to $2.35 per gallon.

According to GasBuddy historical data, gasoline prices on June 5 in New York state have ranged widely over the last five years: $2.44 per gallon in 2016, $2.88 in 2015, $3.87 in 2014, $3.74 in 2013 and $3.82 in 2012.

For live fuel price averages, go to fuelinsights.gasbuddy.com.