Gasoline prices in Massachusetts have risen nearly a quarter in the last month, a leap AAA Southern New England attributes to the approaching summer season and recent signs that the recession may slowly be waning.
Yeah, tell me this isn't all manipulation.
What are they trying to do, kill the recovery?
And the damn state government wants to increase the tax on gas?!!!
"Normally, you do see prices increase leading into Memorial Day," said Arthur Kinsman, a spokesman for the local AAA chapter, which yesterday reported the state's average gas price stood at about $2.19 a gallon. That price - the highest so far this year - is 15 cents above last week's average and 22 cents higher than in mid-April....
Yup, PRICE GOUGING like CLOCKWORK!!!!
Mary Novak, with Lexington forecasting firm IHS Global Insight, said the increase in gas prices is the result of "a little euphoria" caused by signs the economy is "at least hitting bottom." Those included the results of so-called government stress tests showing most major US banks are relatively strong. But Novak is not convinced the roads will be especially crowded this summer.
"I think the market is reacting to [positive economic news] by saying that we could have a consumer-led recovery and one of the big items that people could be purchasing is gasoline," she said. "I think they're wrong."
Novak said many people remain out of work and more are losing jobs, meaning they are driving less. She linked the recent rise in gasoline prices to a roughly $10 increase in the price of a barrel of crude oil since last month. "The crude story is being driven by economic optimism," she said.
--more--"Ogh, Globe just doing their agenda-pushing job, huh?
I'm tired of the looting liars of the Boston Globe business section.
