MCLEAN, Va. – Simply put, "It's getting ugly,'' according to Patrick DeHaan, senior analyst for GasBuddy.com. "First and foremost, the political problems in Egypt are driving crude oil prices, but there has also been a sharp drop in oil supplies the past two weeks. This is coming at a time when demand is at its annual July peak," he told USA Today last week.

The newspaper continues that although Egypt is not a major oil supplier, the ongoing “political woes threaten Middle Eastern shipments and were the catalyst behind crude oil prices rising to 15-month highs” early last week. West Texas Intermediate crude oil hit $105.42 a barrel last Friday after starting the week on Monday at $102.78 a barrel. 

Last week, the national average for gasoline increased five consecutive days. "We may be on a roller coaster for the rest of the summer,'' DeHaan said. 

Meanwhile, Francisco Blanch, head of commodities and derivatives research at Bank America/Merrill Lynch, told the newspaper that the increase is temporary. "I don't think the run-up is sustainable,” he said, adding, "I give it a month."