U.S. gas prices plunge toward $3 a gallon as demand drops worldwide

AAA reported the average nationwide price of a gallon of regular Wednesday was $3.50, and gas price tracking company GasBuddy projected it could drop below $3 by Christmas. One thing that is clear is that there is little leaders in Washington can do to keep gas prices down. That much is also clear in the outlook of consumers, which often improves when gas prices drop. Even as gas prices dropped, the national survey shows, consumer anxiety grew in November. “Even though prices of gas have come down, prices of other things are still high,” said Joanne Hsu, who directs the university’s surveys of consumers.