NEW YORK AP-Retail gas prices ticked higher Friday, rising for the first time in 43 days as a menacing Tropical Storm Gustav steamed toward offshore oil rigs and coastal refineries.

Crude prices also rose, rebounding from the previous day’s selloff as worries mounted that Gustav could grow into a dangerous hurricane before entering the Gulf of Mexico area – home to a quarter of U.S. crude supplies and 40 percent of refining capacity.