Diesel Rises 5.6¢ to Four-Year High $4.15
Diesel rose 5.6 cents to $4.15 a gallon, its highest national average pump price in more than four years, while gasoline fell for the third time in four weeks, the Department of Energy reported.
The diesel increase leaves it 34.9 cents higher than the same week last year, DOE said Monday following its weekly survey of filling stations. Gasoline is 34.3 cents over a year ago.
Prior to last week’s 1.5-cent gain, diesel had dropped for two straight weeks. Before that it rose almost 49 cents in 11 consecutive increases.
Gasoline has dropped a cumulative 5.9 cents in the past four weeks — 10.5 cents of declines in three downturns, along with a 4.6-cent increase last week. Prior to that, the motor fuel rose 52.2 cents in 11 increases.
The diesel upturn was led by an 11-cent jump in the Midwest region to $4.15, matching the national average. The Rocky Mountain region also rose sharply, gaining 7.4 cents to $4.268.
Oil prices have held at about $92 for the past week on the New York Mercantile Exchange, according to Bloomberg News.
Each week, DOE surveys about 350 diesel filling stations to compile a national snapshot average price.
