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VALDOSTA — Lowndes County gasoline prices continue to rise, in line with state and national trends.

The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the Azalea City early this week was $2.35, up from $2.28 a week earlier, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report.

The lowest gasoline price reported in Valdosta was $2.17 per gallon at several locations, according to the price tracking website gasbuddy.com.

Valdosta tied with Macon for the fourth-highest average fuel prices among the 15 Georgia markets AAA monitors: below Savannah, Hinesville and Brunswick but above Warner Robins, Rome, Gainesville, Dalton, Columbus, Catoosa, Augusta, Atlanta, Athens and Albany.

Nationally, the average gasoline price Monday was $2.51 per gallon, up four cents during seven days, while Georgia’s average of $2.33 per gallon was also up four cents in the same period, the auto club said.

In Monday market action, U.S. benchmark crude oil picked up $1.10 to $60.57 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It advanced $1.23 Friday. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 83 cents to $63.26 per barrel.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.