Gas prices fall 17.1 cents in a week to a $4.12 average, GasBuddy says

The U.S. average price of gasoline fell 17.1 cents over the past week to $4.12 a gallon, GasBuddy said Monday, while AAA put its national average at about $4.17, down 12 cents from a week earlier. GasBuddy said the average is down 24.7 cents from a month ago but still $1.13 higher than a year ago, while diesel fell 5.9 cents to $6.281 a gallon. GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan attributed the decline to the end of refinery maintenance and fading seasonal demand as the weather cools.

Why it matters: Fuel costs feed directly into household budgets. Gasoline accounted for more than half of the overall increase in consumer prices in September, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The weekly drop eases some of that pressure, though prices remain well above last year's level.