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Diesel price surges to 18-month high

Updated May 5, 2010

The national average retail price of a gallon of diesel jumped again this week, rising to its highest level in 18 months, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The price rose 4.4 cents to $3.122 in the latest week.

Increasing for the tenth week in the past 11 weeks, the national price was the highest since Oct. 27, 2008, when it was $3.288.

All regions reported substantial increases, with the Lower Atlantic area climbing 5.4 cents to $3.079 as part of the East Coast increase of 5.2 cents to $3.127. California rose 3.3 cents to a national high of $3.26. All regions are well above $3 a gallon.

For state-by-state diesel prices, updated daily, click here.