Kiwis are being warned they could feel the effects of the escalating tension between the United States and Iran at the petrol pump.
In the aftermath of Iranian attacks on two military bases in Iraq known to house US troops, the price of crude oil jumped four percent to about US$65 a barrel, while the New Zealand dollar also took a dive.
One economist says that means petrol prices could rise, and there are concerns that's just the beginning.
"If we see a full-blown conflict, [and] then go back to previous episodes such as what we saw within Iraq when the United States went in there, you could potentially see oil prices in excess of $100 a barrel," Cameron Bagrie says.
"The million-dollar question, though, is that are things going to settle down, or are we going to see an escalating tension?"
Bagrie says Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran produce about 25 percent of the world's oil supply, and further retaliation from the US will send prices soaring.
For people concerned about the current price increases, apps like 'Gaspy' and loyalty cards can be used to help locate the best daily deal and make the most of discounts.
