Reduced refinery activity puts upward pressure on gasoline and diesel prices

Since early January 2024, U.S. refinery utilization has decreased 11%, falling as low as 81% during the two weeks ending February 9 and February 16, and briefly dropped below the five-year (2019–23) low. Although U.S. retail average prices for gasoline and diesel are below 2023 prices for this time of year, decreasing regional inventories for the major U.S. refining regions increased retail prices for both fuels last month, according to our Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update.