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Price of unleaded gasoline in California

Data: Oil Price Information Service; Chart: Axios Visuals

California is on a collision course with $5-per-gallon gasoline.

Driving the news: The average price of unleaded fuel in the Golden State reached $4.94 on Thursday, up 17 cents in the last week and up $1.25 from a year ago.

Several regions have already topped $5, including San Francisco at $5.05 and Los Angeles-Long Beach at $5.01.

California adds about $1.36 per gallon in taxes and fees to wholesale prices, Oil Price Information Service petroleum analyst Tom Kloza tells Axios.

The big picture: The Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused the price of oil to hurtle past $100 per barrel, as traders fear a disruption in Russian energy exports.

What we're watching: Will the nation top $4 per gallon? Prices averaged $3.73 on Thursday.

That's up nearly $1 from a year ago but still trails the all-time record of $4.11 in 2008.

California barrels toward $5 gas

A gallon of unleaded in the Golden State reached $4.94 on Thursday,  up $1.25 from a year ago.

Gasoline

California is on a collision course with $5-per-gallon gasoline.Driving the news: The average price of unleaded fuel in the Golden State reached $4.94 on Thursday, up 17 cents in the last week and up $1.25 from a year ago.

After a record economic expansion, the coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy into a recession as unemployment soared to staggering heights. The country now faces urgent questions about how much stimulus is needed for reeling consumers and businesses, and what a recovery might look like.

California barrels toward $5 gas

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