The average for a gallon of regular no-lead was down by 1 cent, to $2.66, in the five-county Philadelphia area.

The national average also went down 1 cent, to $2.57.

Today, 18 states - up from 15 yesterday - have an average price of $2.50 a gallon or less.

South Jersey led the way with a decline in the diesel average, too, with this morning's down 2 cents, to $2.46.

The Philly area saw a diesel average of $2.79, down 1 cent.

The national diesel average was $2.60, down 1 cent.

Meanwhile, oil prices slid below $60 a barrel as investors braced for company earnings reports next week that will provide clues on the strength of crude demand.

While global appetite for crude over the next few months remains unclear, expectations are that it will increase by next year, with the International Energy agency predicting a 1.7 percent rebound in demand by next year.

Benchmark crude for August delivery was down 69 cents at $59.72 a barrel by midday European electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. On Thursday, the contract rose 27 cents to settle at $60.41.

Oil has bobbed near $60 a barrel the last two days after dropping from an eight-month intraday high of $73.38 on June 30 on investor concern that a rally since March wasn't justified by weak global crude demand.