B.R. gas prices down a quarter on the month

At an average price of $3.52 per gallon as of Sunday, unleaded gas at Baton Rouge stations begins the week 5.5 cents lower than it was a week ago, 25.2 cents lower than a month ago, and 28.3 cents lower than it was a year ago. That’s according to GasBuddy.com, which operates the BatonRougeGasPrices.com website and similar sites for 250 other cities across the United States and Canada. Baton Rouge’s average price is 21 cents lower than the national average, which dropped 3.3 cents over the past week to $3.73 per gallon. The national average has decreased 16.5 cents over the past month and is 20.3 cents lower than it was a year ago. Nevertheless, a study out this morning by accounting and consulting firm BDO USA, which tracks retailers’ top concerns, shows the cost of fuel prices is now outpacing unemployment for the first time since 2009. The economy at large, cited by 99% of retailers surveyed, remains the top concern for the nation’s largest retailers. For 71% of respondents, fuel prices constitute a primary reason for concern, up from 58% last year. With tepid progress in reports on job numbers, 68% of retailers note lingering concerns over unemployment, but the rate is down from its peak of 70% in 2010.