The average price of gasoline in Maine continues to head down. Price-tracking website GasBuddy says prices have dropped almost two cents in the past week, to $2.21 a gallon. That's 4.6 cents less than a month ago and 43 cents lower than this time last year.
GasBuddy analyst Patrick DeHaan says crude oil prices have risen to their highest levels in months due to the unstable political situation in Venezuela. But gasoline demand has remained weak and supply strong, and that's kept downward pressure on pump prices.
But DeHaan says after refiners begin the transition to production of more expensive summer blend gasoline, prices will eventually go up. He says that should come in late February and early March.
