According to the US Energy Information Administration report issued July 21, the U.S. average price for regular gasoline fuel was, in essence, unchanged at $2.72 per gallon, $0.26 higher than last year. On a regional basis, price changes were mixed with the East Coast average dropping a penny to $2.65 per gallon. The Gulf Coast fell less than a cent to remain at $2.56 per gallon. The average in the Rocky Mountains moved up about a penny to $2.75 per gallon. Prices in the Midwest and on the West Coast increased about two cents to settle at $2.70 per gallon and $3.06 per gallon, respectively. The average in California went up nearly two cents to $3.13 per gallon.
The national average price for diesel fuel decreased for a fourth consecutive week. However, the price dropped less than half a cent and, consequently, remained essentially unchanged at $2.90 per gallon but was $0.40 above a year ago. Despite increasing by small fractions of a cent, the average prices in the Midwest and on the Gulf Coast were effectively unchanged at $2.87 per gallon and $2.86 per gallon, respectively. Prices on the East Coast and in the Rocky Mountains slipped a penny to $2.91 per gallon and $2.90 per gallon, respectively. The largest decline took place on the West Coast, where the average dipped a penny and a half to $3.04 per gallon. The average in California slipped less than a cent to stay at $3.12 per gallon.