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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A run of 15 increases in 16 days to the average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County ended today when it was unchanged, remaining at $4.308.
The average price rose 6.2 cents over the previous 16 days, including four-tenths of a cent Wednesday, to its highest amount since May 3, 2014, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. It is 3.4 cents more than one week ago, 8 cents higher than one month ago and $1.23 greater than one year ago.
The average price has risen $1.076 since the start of the year because of a sharp increase in the oil price and increased demand due to more people driving to work, according to Jeffrey Spring, the Automobile Club of Southern California's corporate communications manager.
The Orange County average price rose a half-cent to $4.269, one day after a run of nine increases in 10 days ended when it dropped one-tenth of a cent. It is 3.5 cents more than one week ago, 9.4 cents higher than one month ago and $1.213 greater than one year ago.
The Orange County average price has risen $1.061 since the start of the year to its highest amount since July 16, 2015, including 68.1 cents during a run of 72 increases in 73 days that ended March 20.
The large price increases from one year ago are partially the result of significant decreases during the early stage of the coronavirus pandemic, when driving and demand dropped substantially because of stay-at-home orders intended to reduce the spread of the virus.
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