Ohio gas prices rise slightly as businesses hope low fuel costs lead to more holiday spending

Gas prices are up slightly in Ohio after the Thanksgiving holiday break.

The state's average price for a gallon of regular gas was $ 2.76 in Monday's survey from auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and WEX Inc. That's up two cents compared with a week ago but is about 40 cents cheaper than a year ago.

Ohio came in just under the national average of $2.77 on Monday. That's down four pennies from a week earlier, and it's 50 cents less than at this time last year.

Retailers are hoping the lower prices fuel more trips to stores this holiday season. But analysts say shoppers still may spend conservatively as they search for deals and face higher costs in other areas, such as food and health care.