mineral exploration project – commodity prices – mining stock- trade and market

Americans are paying more for gasoline than they did last year as the holidays approached — billions of dollars that could go to books, clothes and Barbie dolls instead being spent at the pump.

Consumers for the first time this year are paying more on average for a gallon of gasoline than they did 12 months ago, according to data released Tuesday.

The rising price of crude oil, which closed Tuesday at $79.55 a barrel, is putting pressure on gasoline prices.