Diesel Rises 1.2 Cents to $2.898 a Gallon
The national average price of diesel fuel rose to its highest level this year, climbing 1.2 cents to $2.898 a gallon, the Department of Energy reported Monday.
The increase comes on the heels of a 0.3 cent downturn last week, before which the national average price of trucking’s main fuel had remained unchanged at $2.889.
The diesel average rose in all five DOE regions. In California, which the agency breaks out separately, the average price of diesel fuel fell 1.2 cents.
Diesel is now 15.7 cents cheaper than at this time last year, according to DOE.
The national average price of gasoline fell for a third straight week, declining to $2.838 from $2.876.
The gas average is now 20 cents below its level for the corresponding week of 2006.
Meanwhile, crude oil prices fell by 4.6%, the most in seven months, on worries that a slowing U.S. economy and rising fuel supplies will drive prices down, Bloomberg News reported.
Crude oil fell $3.44 on Monday to close at $72.04 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Crude oil prices have now declined 8.5% from a record level of $78.77, reached on August 1, Bloomberg said.
