Overview
- AAA’s national average slid to $4.022 a gallon, marking eight days of declines and easing from the April 9 peak near $4.16.
- AAA links the pullback to a roughly 13% drop in crude after reports the Strait of Hormuz would reopen, though shipping limits and fast‑shifting news keep prices unstable.
- Despite the dip, LendingTree’s look at AAA data shows the April 15 national average at $4.11, up 29.5% from a year ago with double‑digit increases in every state.
- Prices vary widely by state, with California near $5.83 per gallon and Oklahoma around $3.37, reflecting taxes, fees, and transport costs that differ across regions.
- Higher fuel costs helped drive March inflation to its biggest year‑over‑year rise since May 2024, while officials split on the outlook for $3 gas, with the Energy Secretary cautious and the Treasury Secretary and the president more upbeat.