Gas prices across Florida dipped slightly over the weekend after a sharp increase last week.
According to a release from AAA, the average price statewide is $3.56 cents a gallon of unleaded gas.
The 2-cent price drop comes after they spiked by 17 cents last week, and 32 cents over the last two weeks — including a two-month high of $3.58 on Thursday.
Mark Jenkins, spokesman with AAA, said the increase was the result of oil investors anticipating increased global demand as China re-opens its economy following COVID-19 lockdowns.
"It's unusual to see big gains like this in January, but global fundamentals have kept upward pressure on prices at the pump," Jenkins said in the release. "Oil investors are bullish that global fuel demand will rise now that China, the world's largest oil importer, is reopening its economy."
Motorists across the greater Tampa Bay region are also paying $3.56 a gallon.
