The U.S. average retail price of diesel rose 4.2 cents to $3.048 a gallon, according to the Department of Energy, as crude prices dropped amid pressure from President Donald Trump to keep the price of oil low.
The national average price of diesel is 4.1 cents higher than it was a year ago, when the price was $3.007, DOE said after its Feb. 25 survey of fueling stations.
Average prices for diesel rose in every region, with the largest increase in the Midwest after a 6.5-cent jump to $2.969 a gallon.
Additionally, the U.S. regular gasoline average price rose 7.3 cents to $2.39 a gallon, 15.8 cents lower than a year ago, DOE’s Energy Information Administration said.
Crude futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange closed Feb. 25 at $55.16 per barrel compared with $56.09 on Feb. 18. It was crude’s first drop in nine sessions.
A tweet from President Trump coincided with the decline.