Diesel Rises Again, Climbing 2.6¢ to $3.977
Diesel’s national average retail price continued its recent ascent, gaining 2.6 cents to $3.977 a gallon as oil topped $100 a barrel for the first time this year, the Department of Energy reported Feb. 10.
The diesel gain was led by continued spikes in the Northeast, with the pump average in New England gaining 6.4 cents to $4.369. The Central Atlantic jumped 8.2 cents to $4.363 a gallon.
Despite the upturn — which left trucking’s main fuel at its highest level since September — the price is 12.7 cents below its level of a year ago when diesel topped $4 and was near a 4½-year high.
Gasoline, meanwhile, rose 1.7 cents to $3.309 a gallon, its first increase following four modest declines.
The motor fuel, which had slipped 4 cents in the past month, is 30.2 cents below the corresponding week last year, DOE said after its weekly survey of filling stations.
Oil, meanwhile, finished the trading day at $100.06 a barrel, the first time it has finished over that level since late December, Bloomberg News reported.
Dec. 27 was the only other date since mid-October that crude futures have finished over $100 on the New York Mercantile Exchange, according to Bloomberg Nymex figures.
Each week, DOE surveys about 400 diesel filling stations and 800 gasoline stations to compile national average prices.
