Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Jul 24, 2025

$5 gas could become widespread as prices hit another record

$5 gas could become widespread as prices hit another record

Prices at the pump continue to shatter records ahead of Memorial Day weekend.

The national average for regular gas hit a fresh record of $4.48 a gallon Monday, according to AAA. That marks an increase of 15 cents in the past week and 40 cents in a month.

Gas prices are now up by 27% from the day before Russia invaded Ukraine.

"Everything is pointing toward even higher prices. We are well on our way toward $5," Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates, told CNN Monday.

Citing a surge in gasoline futures, Lipow is raising his gasoline forecast from $4.50 to $4.75 a gallon, suggesting drivers on Memorial Day weekend may be greeted by record-high prices.

Lipow said $5 is "possible," though he conceded the outlook could change considerably if there is a surprise development in the war in Ukraine or with Covid.

According to AAA, the average is already above $5 a gallon in four states: California, Washington, Nevada and Hawaii. Oregon is just a penny away.

Gas spike is making inflation worse


It's important to note that gas prices are not at record highs after adjusting for inflation. The inflation-adjusted record was set in June 2008 when they averaged $5.38 a gallon, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

Still, the latest jump in gas prices threatens to worsen inflation headaches facing families and the US economy broadly.

The problem is that supply still can't keep up with demand, especially for gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products. Gasoline futures jumped to fresh record highs on Monday.

The good news, according to Lipow, is that gasoline production should ramp up in the coming weeks as US refineries end maintenance season.

The bad news is that oil prices remain high.

Oil prices pushed further into triple-digit territory on Monday, raising the specter of even higher gas prices in the days ahead.

US oil jumped 3.4% to $114.20 a barrel -- the highest close since March 23. Brent crude, the world benchmark, gained about 3% to $114.50 a barrel in recent trading.

Demand for energy continues to ramp up as the world recovers from Covid-19. Despite China's Covid lockdowns, oil demand in March stood at 101% of 2019 levels, according to the International Energy Forum, citing newly released data from the Joint Organizations Data Initiative (JODI).

However, supply continues to lag, with production standing at just 97% of 2019 levels.

"The Covid situation in Shanghai is loosening up a bit. Demand might be trickling back," said Robert Yawger, vice president of energy futures at Mizuho Securities. "If there is a breakthrough, that may unleash crude oil."

Up until the past few days, oil prices have not climbed nearly as much as retail prices for gasoline and diesel, both of which are at or near record highs.

Supply of petroleum products like gasoline have struggled to keep up with demand, in part because of a limited amount of firepower from refineries following refinery shutdowns in recent years.

"No one can crank up the refinery because they don't have any spare capacity," said Yawger.

Over the past two years, the United States has lost about 5.5% of its refinery capacity, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
×