Gasoline prices sliding

NEW YORK -- Gasoline prices at the pump slid again yesterday, while gas futures dropped on a government report that showed inventories were up slightly more than expected.

Crude oil futures, meanwhile, rose after the Energy Department's weekly inventory report showed that oil stockpiles fell.

The nationwide average price for regular unleaded gasoline slid 0.6 cent to $3.191 a gallon yesterday, down from a record high of $3.227 a gallon a week ago, according to the American Automobile Association and the Oil Price Information Service.

Gasoline futures and retail prices have moderated in recent days in part on a perception that domestic refining capacity is finally catching up to demand. That perception got a boost from the inventory report from the Energy Information Administration, the Energy Department's statistical arm, which showed that gasoline stockpiles increased by 1.3 million barrels, or 0.7 percent, to 198 million barrels last week, slightly besting analyst expectations.

Gas futures for June delivery fell 2.13 cents to settle at $2.2512 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Also on the Nymex, light, sweet crude for July delivery rose 52 cents to settle at $64.01 a barrel.