Diesel drops fraction of a cent

The U.S. average diesel price declined for the second consecutive week, dropping 0.7 cent to $4.079 a gallon during the week ended Monday, Oct. 1, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration.

During 11 straight weekly increases from July 9 to Sept. 17, the price of diesel had climbed 48.7 cents; the price now has fallen 5.6 cents over the past two weeks. This week’s price is 33 cents above the same week last year.

Average retail prices fell in most regions tracked by DOE, led by a 3.7-cent drop on the West Coast (not including California), where the price fell to $4.212. California’s average price fell 1 cent, but prices there nonetheless remained the nation’s highest by region – $ 4.376.

The nation’s cheapest diesel by region was found in the Lower Atlantic, where the average price fell 2 cents to $3.995, just barely beating out the Gulf Coast, which saw a 0.4-cent increase to $3.999. New England also saw a 0.4-cent increase; the average price there rose to $4.195.

Complete diesel price information is available on EIA’s Website.