Rose Rougeau Higher Quotations

We may see prices even higher because of the hurricane. I don't think we've seen the end of record crude prices.

Retail gasoline prices have moved higher against a backdrop of increased crude oil prices. A year ago, crude oil traded at $49 a barrel and gas prices averaged $1.792--49 cents lower than the current average of $2.283. This week, crude hovers around $66 a barrel.

Retail gasoline prices have gone up 15 cents in the past two weeks. The increases can be traced to investor speculation leading to higher prices for both crude and wholesale gasoline. With crude trading around $64 a barrel, it doesn't appear likely gasoline will fall below $2 a gallon anytime soon.

Crude prices pushed near the all-time record high of $70.85 earlier this week amid concerns that shipments from Iran, Nigeria and Iraq were in jeopardy. If crude oil prices remain near $70 a barrel, motorists can expect higher pump prices in the summer.

Higher gas prices will not deter Texans from traveling this holiday. Nearly 5.1 million Texans are expected to travel for the Christmas - New Year's holiday, up 1.4 percent from last year. When you factor in hotel and rental car rates, gasoline remains a relatively small part of most family travel budgets.

The jump in retail gas prices is partly due to the seasonal production switch from winter- to summer-grade gasoline, which usually brings higher prices as output is temporarily reduced.