(Corrects headline to show demand rise of 0.9 percent, not 3.1 percent; no changes to text)
NEW YORK, Dec 8 (Reuters) - U.S. retail gasoline demand last week rose 0.9 percent from the previous week as drivers completed their Thanksgiving holiday trips, according to a MasterCard SpendingPulse report released on Tuesday.
"Gasoline consumption increased due to holiday traffic returning home from the long weekend," said Michael McNamara, vice president of research and analysis at MasterCard Advisors.
Gasoline demand averaged 9.442 million barrels per day during the week ending Dec. 4, up 1.2 percent from year-ago levels, according to the weekly report.
The four-week moving average of U.S. gasoline consumption climbed 0.5 percent year over year. Year to date, gasoline consumption is up 0.7 percent for 2009 compared to the same period in 2008.
The national average retail price for gasoline was unchanged at $2.62 cents.
MasterCard Advisors estimates retail gasoline demand based on aggregate sales activity in the MasterCard payments system coupled with estimates for all other payment forms including cash and checks. MasterCard Advisors is a unit of MasterCard Inc (MA.N). (Reporting by Edward McAllister; Editing by Christian Wiessner)
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSNYS00760320091208
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