The pain at the pump is certainly nowhere near what it was two years ago when we were paying around $4 for a gallon of gas, but prices are up about a dime a gallon this week -- and probably headed higher.
Analysts say such a jump is very unusual because summer vacation is over -- driving demand down.
Shortages are not a possible excuse as supplies are up this year over last.
Right after Labor Day, which is the unofficial end of the summer driving season, we typically see the price of gasoline decline significantly, says Troy Green of AAA. Especially when you're talking about September going into October.
A year ago today, the country was consuming 9.3 million barrels of gasoline a day -- today, that's lower by 300,000 barrels.
Hence the theory that the increase has more to do with what's happening on Wall Street than Main Street.
Investors, with no intention of actually using it, buy up oil as a futures commodity -- betting the price per barrel will be higher in the not-too-distant future.
When the value of the dollar declines, oil becomes a very attractive investment for holders of foreign currencies, says Green.
Many analysts expect this spike to be short-lived and say gas prices will actually be lower by Thanksgiving.
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