Article

Cheese prices continue to fall

December 12, 2010 by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

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Cheese

Average block cheese prices dropped a nickel last week on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, coming in at $1.45. The prior week's average was $1.50.

Cheese prices remain down from last year, when they averaged $1.63 per pound.

Wheat

Prices for wheat continued to rise on the Minneapolis Grain Exchange, closing just above $8.54 Friday. This is a 37-cent increase from the previous Friday, which closed at $8.17.

Wheat prices inched up all week, closing at $8.34 Dec. 6 and $8.35 Dec. 7. On Dec. 8, wheat hit just below $8.43 and closed at $8.54 Friday. 

Gasoline and diesel fuel

The nationwide average for regular unleaded gasoline was just above $2.97 per gallon Dec. 13, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service, up from the previous week’s average of $2.95.

Prices also are up from a month ago, when they were $2.88, and from this time last year, when they hovered around $2.61 per gallon.

Mid-range unleaded currently averages just above $3.16 per gallon, while premium unleaded, as of today was at $3.27.

The nationwide average for diesel fuel stood at $3.24 per gallon Dec. 13, up from last week’s $3.21 prices. Diesel prices are up from $3.17 a month ago, and from $2.80 a year ago.

Natural Gas

In response to cold weather across much of the United States, natural gas spot prices increased across the board this report week, Dec. 1-8. Though most increases were less than 50 cents per million Btu (MMBtu), prices at a number of trading points (notably in the Northeast and Florida) increased by several dollars. The Henry Hub spot price rose 25 cents, from $4.21 per MMBtu to $4.46 per MMBtu.

Pizza company stocks

Shares in Pizza Hut parent Yum! Brands Inc. closed at $50.26 Dec. 10, down slightly compared to its close of $50.57 Dec. 3. Yum! traded at an all-time 52-week high of $52.47 in November 2010, and a 52-week low of $32.49 in February 2010.

Domino’s closed at $15.40 Dec. 10, up from $14.85 on Dec. 3. DPZ traded as high as $16.32 in April 2010, and as low as $7.57 in December 2009.

Papa John's stock closed at $26.15 Dec. 10, up one penny from its $26.14 closing on Dec. 3. PZZA traded at a 52-week high of $28.84 in May 2010, and a 52-week low of $21.44 in December 2009.

Shares in CEC Entertainment Inc., parent company of Chuck E. Cheese restaurants, closed at $40.37 Dec. 10, up from $39.13 Dec. 3. CEC traded at a 52-week high of $41.79 in April 2010, and a 52-week low of $28.48 in November 2009.

California Pizza Kitchen closed at $17.63 Dec. 10, down a bit from its $17.79 closing on Dec. 3. CPKI traded as high as $22.92 in April 2010, and as low as $12.29 in December 2009.

Pizza Inn closed at $1.95 Dec. 10, a boost from its $1.89 closing Dec. 3. PZZI traded at a 52-week high of $2.20 in April 2010, and a 52-week low of $1.50 in December 2009.

About Alicia Kelso

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Alicia has been a professional journalist for 15 years. Her work with FastCasual.com, QSRweb.com and PizzaMarketplace.com has been featured in publications around the world, including NPR, Good Morning America, Voice of Russia radio, Consumerist.com and Franchise Asia magazine.

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