Nightly News   |  February 19, 2011

Mideast unrest hits Americans at the pump

Events half a world away are reaching America’s gas pumps and pocketbooks. NBC’s Tom Costello reports.

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This content comes from Closed Captioning that was broadcast along with this program.

>> in the world are having an impact. one that you have felt if you filled up your gas tank . from the streets of cairo, to bakrain to yemen, iran and libya, the events are reaching america's gas pumps and pocket books . regular unleaded is averaging $3.16 a gallon. up more than 50 cents . the cheapest gas in the lower 48, at $2.96. californians pay the most. $3.52.

>> i have had to sacrifice bills and rent so that i can go to work.

>> i go where the cheaper gas stations are.

>> while egypt and bakrain have little unrest.

>> there is a ton of oil unsaudi arabia. that is the greatest concern. the key oil exported country in the middle east .

>> reporter: only 9% of our oil comes from the persian gulf . the world's economies are showing signs of recovery with strong demand from china, india, even latin america hope iing to drive gas prices higher. worst-case scenario of $3.75 to $4 a gallon later in the year. all right, food and clothing prices are climbing. and with jet fuel prices up.

>> if gasoline prices were to rise up to $4 a gallon, it would be a drain on the economic recovery because it is less money for the consumer to spend.

>> a frag iile economy with a keen eye for a world away. when nbc nightly