Syrian crisis may lift price of crude oil, gas  9:24 AM, Aug 28,
2013   |    comments   • Share   • Print   • - A A A +  (USA
TODAY) - That September drop you were expecting for gasoline
prices? Don't hold your breath.  Currently, gasoline averages
$3.55 a gallon nationally, down from $3.63 a month ago. Most
analysts expected a drop to about $3.40 by early fall, as
seasonal demand slumps after the summer driving season. Now,
some forecasters predict a short-term spike of up to 10 cents a
gallon.  Crude oil prices and gas futures rallied sharply
Tuesday on fears that U.S. military intervention in Syria's
civil war would disrupt Middle East supplies.  Benchmark Brent
crude surged 3.3% to a six-month high of $114.35 a barrel
Tuesday and was trading at $115.65 early Wednesday, while West
Texas Intermediate was trading above $110 a barrel. September
gasoline futures climbed 1% to $3.06 a gallon. Typically,
wholesale prices are 60 to 75 cents below what consumers pay at
the pump.  "In some portion of the country, t