Gas prices break record for days above $4 a gallon as oil shortage continues

What happened: The national average gas price has topped $4 a gallon for 158 days in 2026, a record for days above $4 in a calendar year, GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan said. The Iran war caused an oil supply shock. Key numbers: National average $4.33 a gallon, AAA. 158 days above $4. Global oil above $106 a barrel, up 50% from pre-war level. Why it matters: The record gas prices arrive as affordability is a top voter concern before early November's midterm elections. September consumer sentiment fell close to the lowest level in the 74-year history of the University of Michigan survey.

The national average gas price has topped $4 a gallon for 158 days in 2026, a record for days above $4 in a calendar year, GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan said. The Iran war caused an oil supply shock.

The record gas prices arrive as affordability is a top voter concern before early November's midterm elections. September consumer sentiment fell close to the lowest level in the 74-year history of the University of Michigan survey.