Increase in covid-19 cases not sharp enough to push gas prices lower, analyst says

The average price of gasoline fell slightly in the Pittsburgh area in the past week, while rising nationally, according to price-tracking service GasBuddy.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, said the tracking service’s data show that demand for gasoline “continues to struggle as of late, hitting some mid-summer blues as coronavirus cases continue to see upward movement in more states, but it hasn’t been a sharp enough drop to push gas prices lower last week.”

De Haan said he expected gas prices to continue to “move sideways,” with prices rising in some areas and falling in others because of a “lack of a clear national trend for now.”

In the Pittsburgh area, gas prices fell 0.8 cents a gallon in the past week, averaging $2.45, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 731 stations. That’s 10.6 cents more than a month ago, but 52.7 cents less than a year ago.

The national average is $2.19 a gallon, up 1.1 cents a gallon. That’s 8.8 cents more than a month ago, but 60.8 cents less than a year ago.

Neighboring states and their current gas prices:

• Akron, Ohio — $2.11, down 5.3 cents a gallon from last week.

• Cleveland — $2.18, down 0.9 cents a gallon from last week.

• West Virginia — $2.18, down 2.3 cents a gallon from last week.