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New England and the Gulf Coast had the sharpest increase.
STAFF/WIRE REPORTS
NEW YORK -- Gasoline prices climbed for the fourth straight week to an average of about 2.38 a gallon nationwide, according to a government report released Tuesday.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that drivers last week paid 2.383 a gallon for regular gasoline, up 8.7 cents from the week before.
Prices at the pump are up about 13 cents from this time a year ago.
In the Mahoning Valley, the average price Monday was 2.32 cents a gallon, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report. The price was up from 2.03 a month ago.
This area has the lowest gas prices of any metropolitan area in the state, with the next lowest being Dayton-Springfield at 2.38.
The federal government said retail prices rose most sharply in New England and on the Gulf Coast, where prices increased 10 cents and 10.3 cents, respectively, from the prior week.
New England gasoline prices averaged 2.358 a gallon last week, while Gulf Coast prices averaged 2.234. Despite the jump, Gulf Coast gasoline prices were still the cheapest in the country, according to the report's breakdown of average prices by region.
Sweet crude gains
After a substantial decline at the start of the year, oil prices are again on the rise. Light, sweet crude for April delivery gained 25 cents to settle at 61.39 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange -- its highest settlement price in nine weeks.
Nymex gasoline futures rose by 1.56 cents to settle at 1.8337 a gallon.
Wholesale gasoline prices are up sharply since late last month, according to Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst with the Oil Price Information Service.
In a report on its SpeakingofOil.com blog, Kloza said he expects retailers will play "catch-up," raising their prices further over the next several weeks.