Fuel-price relief continued for the seventh straight week in Massachusetts and New Hampshire last week. But prices fell much less than they had in previous weeks, according to figures released by the auto club AAA.
Since the week beginning July 13, the average price of unleaded regular gasoline at self-service pumps has dropped by about 50 cents per gallon in Massachusetts, and 40 cents per gallon in New Hampshire, AAA figures show.
The U.S. national average increased slightly last week. Still, the coast-to-coast average remains about 40 cents below the level it reached seven weeks ago. During the week of July 13, the U.S. average peaked above $4.10 per gallon.
In Massachusetts, motorists last week saw pump prices drop a bit more than 1 cent per gallon for self-service unleaded regular, AAA reported. The Bay State average on Wednesday was $3.600 per gallon, compared to $3.615 on the prior Wednesday. But last Wednesday's price was 93 cents above the Massachusetts average on the same day last year, which AAA put at $2.666 per gallon.
New Hampshire's average price dropped by a tad more than 2 cents per gallon last week, reaching $3.630 on Wednesday, from $3.651 one week earlier. Wednesday's average remained 96 cents higher than AAA's Granite State average compiled one year earlier, which was $2.673.
The overall U.S. average gained 1.4 cents during the seven-day span. On Wednesday the car club reported a coast-to-coast average of $3.681, compared to $3.667 on the prior Wednesday. Last week's U.S. average was 96 cents higher than the national average of $2.779 reported on same day of 2007.
