GAS: April Prices Jump 46 Cents And Even Higher In California

April has been called the cruelest month and for drivers and businesses across the country faced prices at the pump that jumped 46 cents in April landing at $4.10 a gallon on average from the high of $3.64 in March according to the AAA daily national survey.

Prices grew slightly faster for California drivers with the average price per gallon rising to $5.73 some 47 cents higher than the average in March of $5.26 per gallon.

Energy costs ripple across every good and service in the economy and are often a chief component in inflation. According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics for the month of May, 40% of the increase in the base rate of inflation, which stood nationally at 3.8% (CPI), was due to the 17.8% increase in energy costs.

The Association of Western Employers will continue to track energy costs and related issues, including inflation, that face organizations of all types that are providing career building employment across the West and nationally.