Prices Still Going Up

Utica, NY (WIBX) - While you may find great deals and deep discounts on Christmas gifts, you'll have no such luck at the gas pump."Currently, the average price for regular unleaded in the Utica-Rome area is $3.15 a gallon, that's up two-cents from last week and 15-cents from a month ago," said Ed Welsh, central regional general manager of AAA.

Welsh, who is also the host of Auto Talk, Saturday mornings at 8 on WIBX, said a seesawing market has made future prices hard to predict.

"With the European bailout of Ireland last week, we saw some increased strength in the American dollar which brought oil down to $80 a barrel. Conversely, due to some other market data that our economy is getting stronger, the price was up to $83 dollars a barrel," he said.

Although the market is unpredictable, Welsh expects prices to 'flatten-out' heading toward Christmas.

Looking around the state, Syracuse motorists are paying the lowest prices, on average, at $3.12. Prices in Rochester and Albany average $3.13, Binghamton is also at $3.15, Welsh said.