ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

The U.S. average retail price for diesel gasoline jumped four cents to 143.7 cents per gallon during the past week, reaching the highest level since Feb. 26, when the average price was 145.1 per gallon.

The four-cent jump was the biggest single week movement – up or down – since Dec. 11, when the price dropped 4.5 cents.

Analysts blamed the sudden sizable increase, which came after two weeks of moderate increases preceded by eight weeks of declines, on a market overreaction to an explosion and fire at a Coastal refinery in Aruba.

The refinery, which produces 280,000 barrels a day, produces only distillates that made the impact of the explosion greater than it might have been otherwise.

As a result of the explosion, the diesel price rose in all U.S. regions, the Energy Information Agency survey of 350 fueling stations found on Monday.

California had the highest price with an average of 161.4 cents per gallon, while the Gulf Coast region had the lowest per-gallon average of 136.7 cents.

Transport Topics reported this week that diesel prices have been tracking along with rising crude oil prices.

Beginning April 1, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries has cut 1.5 million barrels of oil per day to keep prices above $25 per gallon. On Sunday, an OPEC official said that oil prices are currently stable, and a production cut was unlikely further before the cartel’s next meeting on June 5. Transport Topics