Overview
- The national retail average for diesel reached $5.85 per gallon on Friday, a nominal record that surpasses the mid‑2022 peak, according to AAA data reported across multiple outlets.
- The recent spike follows renewed U.S. strikes and Iranian retaliation that disrupted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and pushed Brent crude above $95 a barrel.
- Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries and Moscow’s extended diesel export ban have removed a major source of global diesel, forcing U.S. refiners to run near full capacity and export more product.
- U.S. distillate inventories are at seasonal record lows, especially on the East Coast, which raises the risk of higher costs for trucking, farming and refrigerated food distribution.
- Higher diesel now risks wider consumer price pressure and political fallout ahead of November’s midterms as businesses add fuel surcharges and the White House presses refiners for more output.