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Most Americans worried by gasoline prices

A sign at an Exxon gas station in Northwest Washington boasts gas prices of $4.559 for regular and $4.849 for supreme on March 7, 2011. Unrest in Libya and other oil-producing countries has raised a barrel of oil over $100 causing the price of gasoline to shoot up over the last few weeks. UPI/Roger L. Wollenberg.
A sign at an Exxon gas station in Northwest Washington boasts gas prices of $4.559 for regular and $4.849 for supreme on March 7, 2011. Unrest in Libya and other oil-producing countries has raised a barrel of oil over $100 causing the price of gasoline to shoot up over the last few weeks. UPI/Roger L. Wollenberg. | License Photo

WASHINGTON, March 9 (UPI) -- The price of gasoline was the leading factor in the overwhelmingly sour economic note struck by American consumers, a Pew survey indicates.

Less than 10 percent of those interviewed by the Pew Research Center said they were hearing positive reports about the economy on the news.

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In February, Pew indicated that 77 percent of those surveyed said gasoline prices were a contributing factor, though that spiked to 90 percent in March.

Oil and gasoline prices are at two-year highs in part because of unrest in Libya, a top oil producer and key member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. The International Energy Agency said as much as 1 million barrels of oil are sidelined and most international oil companies working in Libya shut down their facilities.

More than 20 percent of those surveyed by Pew said they were following developments in Libya closely. Those saying they were hearing subsequent bad news about the economy crossed party and economic lines.

"While more Americans now say they are hearing mostly bad news about gas and consumer prices, perceptions of news about other economic sectors have changed little since early February," said Pew in a statement.

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Pew interviewed 1,006 adults in person and via telephone March 3-6. The overall sampling error was 4 percentage points.

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