Overview
- AAA reported Tuesday that the U.S. average diesel price reached a record $6.23 per gallon, with local pump checks around $6.20 in Arizona and about $6.25 in North Texas.
- Small businesses that run heavy trucks say fuel bills have roughly doubled since winter and that rising diesel costs are forcing them to raise prices and squeeze margins.
- Independent truckers and drivers report sharply higher weekly fuel spending and some said they could not afford to fill up at observed pump prices.
- Economists warn higher diesel is flowing into business costs and consumer prices and could add upward pressure to inflation and near‑term interest‑rate decisions.
- Analysts point to overlapping shocks — lost exports tied to conflicts, shipping disruptions and low U.S. distillate inventories while refiners run near capacity — as the main reasons limited supply can’t quickly ease the spike.