Montana Gas Prices Soar Amid Geopolitical Tensions
Montana's average gas price has increased significantly in recent weeks, according to Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. In just one week, prices have risen by 17.3 cents per gallon, averaging $4.30 per gallon as of Monday morning.
The current ranking puts Montana eighth in the nation for average gas price, a five-spot jump from last week's position. The national average has also seen an increase, rising 10.8 cents per gallon to $4.06 per gallon today.
De Haan attributed the rise in prices to escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, as well as renewed Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and fresh Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries. However, he noted that a weekend pullback in hostilities may offer some relief, potentially moderating the pace of price increases.
The current prices in Montana are 38.6 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand $1.06 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The cheapest station in the state was priced at $3.88 per gallon yesterday, while the most expensive reached as high as $5.34 per gallon.