Gasoline prices remain stable

Gasoline prices continued to hold fairly steady over the last week, the Energy Department reported Monday in its weekly survey of filling stations.

The average price of a gallon of regular gas in California dropped nine-tenths of a cent to $2.912, down about 8% since the state’s average price hit a 2009 high of $3.153 Sept. 14.

Nationally, the average price rose half a cent to $2.634 -- but it’s still below the $2.639 average reported two weeks ago. Among states surveyed, California recorded the highest average price in the nation.

Regionally, prices on the West Coast were higher than any other part of the nation, with an average price of $2.861.

The lowest average fuel price was in the Gulf Coast, where gasoline rose 2.1 cents to $2.518 per gallon.

The average U.S. gasoline price has hovered around $2.60 a gallon since Oct. 26.

Gasoline prices have changed little as the U.S. supply of crude oil has increased over the last few weeks. In New York futures trading, crude oil for January delivery fell 2%, or $1.54, to close at $73.93 a barrel.

nathan.olivarezgiles@

latimes.com