1st Quarter 2011 Stats: Oil, Gasoline & Gold Jump

  
The price of a barrel of oil was $106.72 as of March 31, 2011, up +16.8% from its $91.38 per barrel price as of December 31, 2010 (source: CME Group).

The national average cost of a gallon of gasoline increased by +54 cents during the quarter, rising from $3.07 a gallon on December 31, 2010 to $3.61 a gallon as of March 31, 2011 (source: AAA).

The price of gold, which set an all-time nominal record close of $1,421 an ounce (i.e., non-inflation adjusted) on the December 31, 2010, set a new record close of $1,439 an ounce on March 31, 2011 (source: CME Group).