Retail gasoline prices rosed across the country over the last week mainly because of fears over the Mideast tension, according to a federal survey on Tuesday.

In response to ongoing violence in the Middle East, crude oil prices clung to near-record-high levels, it showed.

California saw the highest gasoline price, which rose to 3.24 dollars a gallon over the last seven days, while the nationwide average cost of self-serve regular gasoline jumped 1.6 cents to 2. 989 U.S. dollars a gallon, said the weekly survey conducted by the Energy Department.

In New York, crude oil prices retreated Monday but stayed within striking distance of 80 dollars a barrel. The oil futures price fell 1.73 dollars to 75.30 dollars for August delivery of a barrel of benchmark light, sweet crude, down from Friday's record- setting close of 77.03 dollars a barrel.

But the impact of Mideast tension on the oil market was limited as the possibility of potential disruption in oil exports was slim,said analysts.

Source: Xinhua