Diesel Rises Again, Gaining 4.4¢ to $3.976
Diesel rose for the 17th time 18 weeks, gaining 4.4 cents to a national average $3.976 per gallon, while gasoline jumped almost 9 cents, the Department of Energy said.
Gas gained 8.8 cents to $3.684 a gallon, marking its 16th increase in 18 weeks, DOE said following its weekly survey of filling stations Monday.
Trucking’s main fuel has risen 81.2 cents since Thanksgiving and is 96.1 cents higher than the same week last year. Gasoline has increased 82.8 cents since the end of November and is 85.8 cents over last year, DOE figures showed.
Oil prices have continued to rise in the past week, topping $108 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange Monday, its highest closing price since September 2008, the year crude, diesel and gasoline all hit record highs.
Diesel is at its highest since averaging $4.023 a gallon on Sept. 15, 2008, while gas is its most expensive since it was $3.718 on Sept. 22 of that year, DOE records showed.
Each week, DOE surveys about 350 diesel filling stations to compile a national snapshot average price.
