Gas prices jumped nearly 3 cents overnight to a new national record of nearly $3.65 a gallon Thursday, while oil prices paused from their own climb to record highs and succumbed to mild profit-taking.

At the pump, the average price of a gallon of regular gas nationwide rose 2.7 cents to a record $3.645, according to a survey of stations by AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. That price was reflected at numerous Meridian, Miss., gas stations Wednesday.

Diesel prices also rose, adding 0.9 cent to match a record national average of $4.251 a gallon.

Meanwhile, light, sweet crude for June delivery fell 12 cents to $123.41 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange today but alternated between gains and losses. Prices rose as high as a record $123.93 Wednesday.
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