Bad news around the world has brought good news for local drivers, as fuel prices continued to drop over the weekend, bringing Great Bend back under $3.50 per gallon.
According to reports from the Associated Press: “Concerns about the European financial crisis continue to weigh on oil prices.
“Benchmark crude for July delivery fell 40 cents to $92.61 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The July contract expires on Tuesday, and most of the trading already has switched to the August contract, which dropped 38 cents to $92.63 per barrel.”
The AP added that current concerns are that the economic crisis in Greece could spread to the rest of Europe. “That’s pushed the dollar higher. Oil is priced in dollars and tends to fall as the dollar rises and makes crude more expensive for investors holding foreign money.”
Local prices dropped over the weekend to $3.38-$3.39 in Great Bend.
Other prices around the state Monday included: $3.29, Topeka; $3.31, Manhattan; $3.32, Topeka and Manhattan; $3.34, Topeka; $3.44, Salina and Hays; $3.45, Salina and Dodge City; $3.47, Emporia and Salina; $3.48, Hutchinson and Liberal; $3.49, Salina, Dodge City and Emporia; $3.51, Lawrence, Emporia and Hutchinson; $3.52, Hays and Salina; $3.55, Hays and Lawrence; $3.57, Junction City and Lawrence; $3.59, Liberal; $3.69, Dodge City; $3.71, Junction City and Dighton; $3.72, Lawrence; $3.75, Parsons, Ulysses, and Garden City; $3.77, Ulysses; $3.79, Colby; and $3.85, Garden City.
The state average price on Monday was $3.52, compared to $3.62 a week ago and $3.75 a month ago. A year ago, the average price in Kansas was $2.62.
The national average Monday was $3.65, compared to $2.74 a year ago.
The prices are reported on Kansas Gas Prices, which is operated by Gas Buddy Organization, that was developed as a way for the public to report changes in gas prices around the nation.
The Kansas prices are available at www.kansasgasprices.com.
Some communities are listed more than once in the prices, because there are a variety of gas prices available.