Arabic version: الديزل يسجل مستوى قياسياً عند 6 دولارات مع اتساع اضطرابات الإمدادات

According to Cnbc, U.S. diesel prices reached $6 per gallon on Friday for the first time, as supply disruptions linked to the wars in Ukraine and Iran raised transportation costs across the economy. The nationwide average was about $6.06 per gallon, while California prices stood at $7.98 per gallon.

Truckers and farmers are paying about 63% more to fuel semis and tractors than at the same time last year, based on AAA data. Diesel powers trucks, trains and ships that move goods, machinery used to plant and harvest food, and in some cases home heating and electricity generation. Higher prices can therefore be passed through to consumers in food, consumer goods and energy bills.

Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis, said diesel costs at these levels could be a “silent killer” for the U.S. economy. He also said Americans are spending about $700 million more each day on gasoline and diesel than a year ago. Gasoline prices hit a Labor Day record of $4.15 per gallon earlier in the week.

Fuel costs have climbed as fighting disrupted refinery capacity and constrained exports. Kyiv’s attacks on Russian refineries prompted Moscow to ban diesel exports, while Iran and its Houthi allies have struck refineries of U.S. Gulf allies. The conflicts have shut down about 5 million barrels per day of refining capacity, and the world has lost nearly 8% of its diesel supply, according to Andy Lipow of Lipow Oil Associates. Helima Croft of RBC Capital Markets said U.S. refineries were operating at 98% utilization, leaving no spare capacity.