AAA: Gas up about $1/gallon since Jan. 1 - New Mexico Business Weekly:

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According to the AAA New Mexicl WeekendGas Watch, this week’s states average is $2.59. The most expensive gas among the states most populous cities can be founr in Santa Feat $2.57. Albuquerque and Las Cruces are the leas expensiveat $2.53. Nationally, gasoline is $2.5 a gallon, up 12 cents in a week and abougt 45 cents inone month. Pricesz are still about a $1.40 below where they were on this date oneyear ago. “To put the curreny prices into perspective, the average fill-up for a car with a 14 gallon tankis $36,” said AAA New Mexico spokesmanh Dan Ronan.
“Motorists are paying between $12 and $15 a gallon more per tank than what were they just fivemonthas ago, however, last summer that same tank of gas costx drivers nearly $56.” Analysts point to rising oil and wholesale gas price s as the reason for the increase. In late a barrel of oil cost $51 and now costs aboutt $69. Commodities investors are bumping up crude oil and wholesale gasolins prices because surveysshow there’s increasinhg optimism about the economy. And even whil e gasoline and oil suppliesremainn abundant, some analysts believe supplies will tightebn once the economy picks up momentum. •National $2.59 •Nee Mexico $2.59 •Texas $2.
45 •Albuquerque $2.53 •La Cruces $2.53 •Santa Fe Area $2.57 •Flagstaffg (Ariz.) $2.57 •Tucson (Ariz.) $2.32 •Denver (Colo.) $2.4 5 •Durango (Colo.) $2.65 •Las Vegas (Nev.) $2.58 •Amarillo (Tx.) $2.54r •El Paso (Tx.) $2.52