Slide in gas prices comes to halt, GasBuddy analyst says

Gasoline prices in Nevada and the nation edged up last week, but Carson City still featured a host of gas stations well below the state and national pump prices Monday morning.

Those were survey results from GasBuddy.com, a website tracking the price of unleaded regular, which showed Sunday an average of $2.21 per gallon statewide and $2.05 a gallon nationwide. The report indicated those prices were a 1.6 cents per gallon increase across the state from the previous week and a 2.7 cents a gallon blip upward per gallon across the nation.

Despite that, Carson City still had 15 outlets in the city posting pump prices below $2 a gallon, with four leading the way at $1.93 late Monday morning. The foursome: 7-Eleven, 3701 N. Carson St.; Costco, 700 Old Clear Creek Rd.; Mavrik, 1451 College Parkway, and Smith’s, 505 E. William St.

Nevada’s statewide survey by GasBuddy.com was based on checks made at 1,130 outlets in the Silver State.

Despite the upward movement in Nevada and nationally, the website reminded motorists the precipitous pump price plunge over the past year left them in good shape as they fill up their vehicles. In Nevada, prices on Sunday were $1.10 less per gallon than on the same day a year earlier. Nationally, pump prices stood Sunday at more than $1.22 below the same day a year earlier. An analyst, however, declared the bottom was in.

“The four-month slide in gasoline prices has indeed come to a halt,” said Gregg Laskoski, GasBuddy’s senior petroleum analyst.

“Since Jan. 7 through Friday, Jan. 30, wholesale prices on average are up 20 cents per gallon, so there’s no doubt now that the first-quarter climb is under way and is already being reflected in rising prices at the pump.”