US October Gasoline Prices Hit Record High Despite Weekly Decline

US national average gasoline price fell to $4.36/gallon, down 5 cents from last week, but remains the highest ever for October, up from $3.12 a year ago. Demand rose slightly to 8.76 million bpd while inventories edged up, suggesting persistent tightness. The record October price signals sustained inflationary pressure on consumers and could influence Fed policy.