State gas prices ‘out like a lamb’

Published 5:37 pm Monday, April 1, 2013

Average retail gasoline prices in Michigan have fallen 9.9 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.66 a gallon Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 4,913 gas outlets in Michigan. This compares with the national average that has fallen 1.9 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.61 a gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Michigan during the past week, prices yesterday were 36.0 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 18.1 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has decreased 10.3 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 28.1 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.

“Gas prices in March came in like a lion and are going out like a lamb,” said GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan. “For the first time in a decade gasoline prices are going to be lower at the end of March than the beginning. GasBuddy data shows that the last time this happened was in 2003 when prices fell a nickle between the start of the month and the conclusion. Essentially what we’re seeing here this month is perhaps the largest monthly decrease ever during the month of March- a month that has almost always seen prices finishing the month substantially higher than where they entered.”