Article

Commodities: Good news and bad news

Pizza stocks are gaining, but so are wheat prices, which almost hit $8 last close.

November 7, 2010

Cheese

Block cheese prices fell again last week on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, averaging $1.53 per pound. The price is down 11 cents from last week's average of $1.64.

Cheese prices are up 4 percent overall compared with last year, when they averaged $1.47 per pound.

Wheat

Prices for wheat on the Minneapolis Grain Exchange closed at $7.97, up 20 cents from the previous week’s close of $7.77.

Wheat prices closed at $7.67 on Monday, $7.63 Tuesday, $7.62 per bushel Wednesday, and $7.85 per bushel Thursday.

Gasoline and diesel fuel

The nationwide average for regular unleaded gasoline was $2.85 per gallon November 8, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service, up 5 cents from the previous week’s average of $2.80. Prices are up 2 percent from $2.79 per gallon a month ago and up 7 percent from an average of $2.67 per gallon this time last year. Mid-range unleaded currently averages $3.03 per gallon while premium unleaded as of November 8 stood at just under $3.14 per gallon.

The nationwide average for diesel fuel stood at $3.12 per gallon November 8, up 1 percent from last week’s price of $3.09. Diesel prices are up 36 percent from an average of $2.83 per gallon this time last year.

Natural gas

Price changes were mixed this week, with much regional variation across the country, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. At the Henry Hub in Erath, La., prices posted a net decline on the week of 2 cents, falling from $3.37 per million Btu (MMBtu) on October 27, to $3.35 per MMBtu on November 3.

Pizza company stocks

Shares in Pizza Hut parent Yum! Brands Inc. closed at $51.33 on November 5, up $1.37 compared with the previous week's record-high close of $49.56. 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 $15.15, up 31 cents compared with the previous Friday's close of $14.84. DPZ traded as high as $16.32 in April 2010, and as low as $7.37 in November 2009.

Papa John's stock closed at $25.59, down 24 cents compared with the previous Friday's close of $25.83. 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 $36.80, up $3.60 compared with the previous week's close of $33.20. 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 $17.22 on November 5, up 71 cents from the previous week's close of $16.51. CPKI traded as high as $22.92 in April 2010, and as low as $12.29 in December 2009.

Pizza Inn closed at $2 on November 5, up 2 cents from the previous week's close of $1.98. PZZI traded at a 52-week high of $2.20 in April 2010, and a 52-week low of $1.50 in December 2009.