AVERAGE DIESEL PRICES STILL ON THE RISE

The average price of a gallon of on-highway diesel had an increase of 6 cents from last week to $2.357 per gallon for the week ending Monday, May 23. This marks the seventh consecutive weekly increase after a short-lived one-week decrease and the highest national average since Dec. 7, 2015, when diesel prices were $2.379.

Diesel price averages went up in all 10 regions in the U.S., according to the Energy Information Administration. The largest average increase was in the West Coast less California region, where prices at the pump rose by 7.7 cents per gallon. Prices were up 3.4 cents in the Rocky Mountain region, the smallest increase in the nation.

Following are the average prices by region as reported by the EIA:

U.S. – $2.357, up 6 cents
East Coast – $2.379, up 5.8 cents
New England – $2.411, up 6.3 cents
Central Atlantic – $2.464, up 5.4 cents
Lower Atlantic – $2.308, up 6 cents
Midwest – $2.325, up 5.4 cents
Gulf Coast – $2.233, up 7.6 cents
Rocky Mountain – $2.358, up 3.4 cents
West Coast – $2.597, up 6.7 cents
West Coast less California – $2.502, up 7.7 cents
California – $2.673, up 5.8 cents
According to ProMiles, the average retail price at truck stops was $2.339 on Monday morning, a 6.7-cent increase from last week.

ProMiles, the software company that maintains the websites ProMiles.com and TruckMiles.com, continues to offer its own weekly fuel price information. The company’s fuel price data are presented in the same format used by the EIA in the agency’s weekly reports. The prices include a national average as well as regional averages, and comparisons to the previous week and the previous year.

A key difference between the EIA and ProMiles reporting is the type and number of fueling stations the company surveys in order to calculate its averages. While EIA surveys 400 truck stops and convenience stores nationwide, ProMiles uses its direct feed from thousands of truck stops to develop its averages.

TruckMiles.com listed the daily average price for Monday at $2.41, with truckers in Rhode Island paying an average of $2.799 per gallon, the highest in the nation. Truckers in Oklahoma are paying a national low of $2.17 per gallon, according to the site. No states in the Lower 48 states have been listed in excess of $4 per gallon at the pump since Dec. 4, 2014. All 48 states in the contiguous U.S. have average prices below $3. For the fourth consecutive week, no states are reporting average diesel prices below $2.

In separate energy news, according to the New York Mercantile Exchange, light sweet crude (also known as West Texas Intermediate) for July delivery was trading at $47.90 at noon CDT on Monday, an 18-cent increase from last Monday and a 15-cent increase from its last settlement price. The price of Brent crude oil for July settlement was listed at $48.11, an 86-cent decrease from last Monday and a 61-cent decrease from its last settlement price.

Reuters reports Monday’s decrease in the stock market could be attributed to Iran’s vow to increase output and U.S. rig reductions being put on hold. AAA has indexed diesel prices at $2.281 for Monday, 60.3 cents cheaper than this time last year and 14.9 cents higher than a month ago.
By Land Line staff

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