Gas prices staying down as 2013 starts

U.S. drivers are hoping 2013 doesn’t start off like 2012 at the gas pump. So far, so good. The average price of a gallon of regular, unleaded gas is averaging $3.30—up only about half a penny since Jan. 1. A year ago, gas rose about 10 cents in the first week or so because of a jump in oil prices, and it nearly hit $4 in early April. In Baton Rouge, prices are even lower; at $3.16 per gallon as of today, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge. Local prices are up 3 cents from a week ago, but down 8 cents from a year ago. Oil prices should dictate what happens next with pump prices. Economic factors affecting oil are mixed—economies in the U.S. and China are showing modest improvement, while Europe remains in recession. The wild card is the Middle East. In the past two years, threats to shipments of oil from the region drove crude prices higher during the winter. That led to a surge in pump prices by spring. The Energy Department expects gas to average $3.43 a gallon this year in the United States. Drivers in Colorado, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming are paying below $3 a gallon on average. Hawaii remains the only state above $4. New York is the second-highest at an average $3.75 a gallon. The Associated Press has more details on average prices and projections here.