Core Insights - The benchmark price of diesel has experienced a significant decline, marking the largest drop in a five-week period in two years, with a decrease of 32.4 cents per gallon [1] - The current average retail diesel price is $3.544 per gallon, down from $3.868 prior to this decline [1] - The latest price is the lowest for the benchmark used for most fuel surcharges since June 11, when it was $3.471 [2] Diesel Price Trends - The price of ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) on the CME commodity exchange has shown some stabilization after a decline that began on November 18, with a recent settlement at $2.1581 per gallon [2][3] - The ULSD price fluctuated, reaching a low of $2.1219 per gallon before the recent rise [3] Geopolitical Factors - Uncertainty regarding U.S.-Venezuela relations may impact Venezuelan oil output, which is currently estimated at about 1 million barrels per day, significantly lower than the 3.5 million barrels per day prior to 1998 [4] - The market is also affected by uncertainties surrounding Russian oil production, contributing to fluctuations in oil prices despite a slight decline in ULSD [4] Market Dynamics - The ongoing discussions about a potential oil glut have been a primary driver of lower oil prices over the past six weeks, although geopolitical factors can temporarily overshadow supply and demand impacts [5]

Core Insights - The benchmark diesel price has seen a significant decline, with the latest average retail price falling 7.3 cents to $3.758 per gallon, marking the largest one-week drop since December [1] - The recent price decrease follows a four-week period of increases, where the price rose by 24.8 cents per gallon, indicating volatility in the diesel market [2] Diesel Price Trends - The average retail diesel price has decreased by 11 cents per gallon over the last two weeks, following a previous increase [2] - The price of ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) on the CME commodity exchange has shown volatility, starting at $2.4053 per gallon on November 3 and peaking at $2.7011 per gallon on November 18 before closing the month at $2.333 per gallon [3] Market Reactions - In recent trading, ULSD prices have stabilized within a range of $2.32 to $2.35 per gallon, with no significant market reaction to OPEC+'s decision to maintain production levels [4] - OPEC+ has increased its output from 41.79 million barrels per day in June to 43.09 million barrels per day in October, despite some discrepancies between announced and actual output [5] OPEC+ Decisions - OPEC+ has decided to keep production quotas steady, effective January, while a 137,000 barrels per day increase is scheduled for December [6] - The recent surge in diesel prices relative to crude has been attributed to tight inventory levels, with U.S. inventories of non-jet distillate being closely monitored [7]