Gas prices fall to lowest level since March, analyst says

Gasoline prices have slid to their lowest level since March thanks to rising U.S. inventories and sluggish demand, according to an analyst for the price-tracking firm GasBuddy.

“The jump in gasoline inventories has been so large it has offset oil prices, which touched $60 per barrel last week, as well as the U.S. and China suggesting they’ve reached a trade deal,” said Patrick DeHaan, GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis.

In the Pittsburgh area, average gas prices fell 2.3 cents per gallon from last week to an average of $2.80 per gallon, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 731 stations. That’s 1.5 cents per gallon more than a month ago, and 16.7 cents per gallon more than a year ago.

The national average is down 3 cents per gallon to an average of $2.55 per gallon. That’s 5.5 cents per gallon less than a month ago, but 19.3 cents per gallon more than a year ago.

Neighboring areas and their current average per-gallon gas prices:

• Akron — $2.57, up 20.5 cents per gallon;

• Cleveland — $2.58, up 8.4 cents per gallon;

• West Virginia — $2.51, down 1 cent per gallon.