WASHINGTON, (REUTERS):
THE PRICE KEEPS going up at the pump for U.S. consumers, as the average cost for gasolene increased by 4.7 cents a gallon over the last week to a record $2.064 yesterday, the government said.
The latest pump price for regular unleaded gasolene is up 58 cents from a year ago, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's weekly survey of service stations.
The highest U.S. gasoline price was US$2.99 a gallon in March 1981, when adjusted for inflation in 2004 dollars, according to the Energy Department's analytical arm.
High crude oil prices, which account for about half the cost of making gasoline, are the main factor behind rising pump prices.
