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October 1, 1999 10:28 AM, EDT

The retail price of diesel fuel failed to rise this week — for the first time in 16 weeks.

Though the national average price, as reported by the Energy Information Agency on Sept. 27, held steady at $1.226 a gallon for the second week in a row, analysts saw little significance in the pause and most continue to predict further increases.

The latest figure marks the first time the average has held steady since June 7, when the price stood at $1.059 a gallon.

Bob Costello, executive director of the Economics and Statistical Analysis Department of the American Trucking Associations, and Elaine Levin of Dean Witter Reynolds noted a likelihood that prices could fall in the first quarter of 2000.

For the full story, see the Oct. 4 print edition of Transport Topics. .