AAA: Florida gas prices rising, jumped ten cents since last week
ORLANDO, Fla. - Florida’s gas prices jumped another ten cents last week, reaching an average of $2.40 per gallon.
"They're kind of starting to go back up again. I'm not sure if this is still because of the coronavirus and just companies trying to compensate," said UCF student Jasmine Crawl, who was getting gas in downtown Orlando.
AAA's Mark Jenkins said it was actually because investors were putting their money on more people traveling. He explained that "oil prices have been increasing in recent weeks largely due to the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine. That's really helping to provide optimism in the fuel market that demand for gasoline and jet fuel will eventually rebound."
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That’s not great news for everyone filling up their cars and trucks, but Jenkins said the extra money everyone was paying is actually a good sign for the US economy, citing that "when gas prices begin to come back in-line with where they should be it's also an indicator that the economy is also on the road to recovery."
Jenkins said the prices right now are still about seven cents less than this time last year.
However, Crawl said it was still good to have a little more money left in her wallet, telling FOX 35 that "if you can have it at a lower price, why not?"
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Jenkins said the prices we are seeing now are the highest they have been since last February.
Tune in to FOX 35 Orlando for the latest Central Florida news.