Article
Cheese prices hold at $1.27
Commodities update for the week of March 22, 2010.
March 21, 2010
Cheese
Block cheese prices held steady last week on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, averaging just under $1.27 per pound. Prices remained about flat from the previous week. Prices closed at just under $1.27 Monday through Thursday, and at $1.27 on Friday.
Wheat Wheat closed at just above $5.09 per bushel Friday on the Minneapolis Grain Exchange, up 6 cents from the previous week's close of $5.03. Prices for wheat closed at just over $5.07 Monday, over $5.14 Tuesday, just under $5.20 per bushel Wednesday and $5.15 per bushel Thursday. Gasoline and diesel fuel The nationwide average for regular unleaded gasoline was $2.82 per gallon March 22, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service, up 3 cents from the previous week. Prices are up 7 percent from an average of $2.63 per gallon a month ago and up 45 percent from an average of $1.95 per gallon this time last year. Mid-range unleaded currently averages $3 per gallon while premium unleaded as of March 22 stood at $3.10 per gallon. The nationwide average price for diesel fuel stood at $2.94 per gallon March 22, up 2 cents from last week. Diesel prices are up 37 percent from an average of $2.14 per gallon this time last year. Natural gas Natural gas prices continued declining at market locations across the lower 48 States this week, with spot and futures prices registering sizeable losses for the week ended March 17, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Spot prices in the lower 48 States fell between 1 percent and 6 percent on the week, as weather-related demand for natural gas decreased and supplies remained relatively strong. Pizza company stocks Shares in Pizza Hut parent Yum! Brands Inc. closed at $37.94 on March 12, up 51 cents compared with the previous week's close of $37.43. YUM traded at a 52-week high of $38.86 in March 2010 2009 and a 52-week low of $26.25 in March 2009. Domino's closed at $13.35, down 55 cents compared with the previous Friday's close of $13.90. DPZ has traded as high as $14.26 in March 2010 and as low as $6.39 in April 2009, over the past 52 weeks. Papa John's stock closed at $25.42, down 17 cents compared with the previous Friday's close of $25.59. PZZA traded at a 52-week high of $29.25 in May 2009 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 $37.49, up 90 cents compared with the previous week's close of $36.59. CEC traded at a 52-week high of $37.97 in March 2010 and a 52-week low of $22.99 in March 2009. California Pizza Kitchen closed at $17.50 on March 19, up 50 cents from the previous week's close of $17. CPKI traded as high as $17.94 in March 2010 and as low as $11.08 in December 2009. Pizza Inn closed at $2.05 on March 19, up 15 cents from the previous week's close of $1.90. PZZI traded at a 52-week high of $2.25 in June 2009 and a 52-week low of 98 cents in April 2009.
*Flickr photo by Chiot's Run.
