The recent trend of rising fuel prices continued over the last week according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture. For the week ending Feb. 9, the statewide average for the price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was up seven cents to $3.29. This is 90 cents higher than this time last year but 18 center lower than the national average, which stood at $3.47. Retail diesel in Iowa was up eight cents on the week to $3.65 per gallon. Compare that to a year ago when the statewide average for diesel was only $2.60. Iowa prices were still 20 cents below the national average of $3.85. Wholesale ethanol was unchanged at $2.16 per gallon. Propane prices were up five cents to $1.98 per gallon while home heating oil climbed nine cents to $3.35. There was some reprieve for natural gas users, who saw prices plunge $1.32 per MMbtu to $4.04 at the Henry Hub reporting site.
