Gas prices are expected to start decreasing after crude oil prices and wholesale gas prices jumped last week, causing an increase in local gas prices.

Don Redman, a spokesman for AAA Mississippi, said that last week, the price of crude oil went up a few dollars from the beginning of the year, but that a retreat in prices is already being seen.

Redman said in a week, the price of wholesale gasoline dropped a nickel.

The decrease in these two prices along with a positive economic outlook is what is allowing what customers pay at the pump to continue to decrease, Redman said.

According to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report, the state average on regular gasoline currently is $3.105 with a national average of $3.296.

The state average on diesel is $3.683 and the national average is $3.860.

The current national average has stayed about the same since a year ago, when regular gasoline was $3.292.

Redman said the Department of Energy released a report last week saying the inventory of gasoline in the area is healthier than what they expected, which will also help keep consumer gas prices down.