Gas prices soared to a record, analysts say, “used” to it

The constant pain at the pump for Americans is getting harsher on Friday – as gas prices hit a new record.

The national average per gallon rose to $4,432, According to AAA numbers.

That tops the previous all-time high in mid-March when it refilled tanks for drivers an average of $4,331 a gallon nationwide.

The national average for ordinary gas It hit $4,418 on ThursdayPrevious record.

The new Friday mark is about 15 cents higher than last week and up from $3,028 on average a year ago, according to AAA data.

The cost of the pump varied widely from state to state, with the most expensive average prices in California ($5,872) and Nevada ($5,136). The cheapest gallon can be found in Georgia ($3,954) and Kansas ($3,986).

The average price of a gallon of diesel also hit a new all-time high of $5,560 on Friday. That’s an increase from $5,019 just a month ago and $3,150 a year ago, according to AAA data.

The new spike comes a day after the Biden administration canceled oil and gas sales in the Gulf of Mexico and Cook Inlet in Alaska, dealing a potential blow to domestic fuel production.

The Home Office told The Post on Thursday that the Cook Inlet lease sale would not go ahead due to “a lack of industry interest in leasing in the area.”

The agency also canceled two rental sales in the Gulf of Mexico, citing “conflicting court decisions” that affected the proposed moves.

Energy experts expect gas prices to rise even higher, likely exceeding $4.50 by the end of May. Houston based industry consultant To CNN on Monday He predicted a jump of another 18 to 20 cents over the next 10 days.

Meanwhile, another analyst believes the US$5 gallon is “by no means out of the question.” USA Today reported on Thursday.

“We have to get used to higher gasoline prices,” Matt Smith of data analytics firm Kpler told the newspaper. We shouldn’t expect to see them fall back to $2 a gallon. It seems those times are over.”