U.S. Diesel Average Price Falls 1.4 Cents to $2.448 a Gallon

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he average retail price of diesel fuel fell 1.4 cents to $2.448 a gallon, turning around two straight weeks of increases, the Department of Energy reported Tuesday.

The decline followed last week’s 2.6-cent increase and a 1.1-cent uptick two weeks ago, according to DOE figures.

Prior to the those increases, diesel had fallen 73.2 cents over the previous six weeks to $2.425 a gallon, from its all-time record of $3.157, set Oct. 24.

Meanwhile, gasoline’s average price also fell by 1.4 cents, to $2.197 a gallon, DOE said. Gasoline had risen by the same amount as diesel, gaining 2.6 cents in last week’s survey.

Gasoline’s average price fell for nine straight weeks before rising 3.8 cents two weeks ago from a six-month low of $2.147. It had plummeted 78.1 cents from an October peak of $2.928 set on Oct. 3.

Gasoline reached an all-time record high of $3.069 on Sept. 5 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Diesel prices were mixed in DOE’s five national regions, rising on the West Coast and in the California sub-region DOE breaks out separately, while falling in the Midwest, Gulf Coast and East Coast regions.

California’s price jumped 2.2 cents to $2.543, while the West Coast’s price rose 1.8 cents to $2.523.

he East Coast region’s average price fell 1.8 cents to $2.481. The New England sub-region of the East Coast remained the highest listed price, falling 0.4 cent to $2.647, followed by the Central Atlantic sub-region, which fell 1 cent to $2.599.

The Midwest price fell 2.3 cents to $2.42, while the Gulf Coast region fell 1.4 cents to $2.421.

The Rocky Mountain region's price was flat, holding at $2.41 a gallon, DOE said following its weekly survey of filling stations.

Each week, DOE surveys 350 diesel filling stations to compile a national snapshot average price.