HOT AIR BALLOON FLIGHT

The national average cost of a gallon of regular gasoline now stands at $3.99, according to AAA. That's higher than it was a year ago but still well below a peak of nearly $5.02 in mid-June.

Energy costs feed into broad measures of inflation, so the drop is also good news for policymakers who have struggled to contain the price increases and for President Biden, who has pledged to lower gas costs.