Article

Commodity prices rise across the board

Last week saw a rise in most prices, including stocks, with natural gas as the exception.

February 9, 2015 by Nicole Troxell — Associate Editor, Networld Media Group

Last week saw a rise in most prices, including stocks, with natural gas as the exception. The celebration of lower gas prices is over, but major pizza company stocks performed relatively well.

Here's a glimpse at the market this week:

Cheese

Average block cheese prices jumped about $0.03 cents last week on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, coming in at an average of $1.53. The previous week's average was $1.50.

Prices stayed the same each day last week, coming in at $1.53.

Wheat

Wheat prices rose $0.10 last week on the Minneapolis Grain Exchange. The average prices came in at $5.70, up from $5.60 the previous week.

Wheat closed at $5.54 Monday, $5.76 Tuesday, $5.66 Wednesday, $5.79 Thursday and $5.77 Friday.

Gasoline and diesel fuel

Monday's nationwide average for regular unleaded gasoline is $2.17, up $0.12 from the previous week at $2.05, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service.

Prices are also up from $2.16 a month ago, but down more than $1 from this time last year, when consumers were paying $3.28 at the pump.

Mid-range unleaded is $2.38, while Monday's premium unleaded price is $2.56.

The nationwide average for diesel fuel is $2.80, slightly up from $2.79 last week. Diesel prices are down more than $1 from $3.93 a year ago.

Natural Gas

Natural gas spot prices responded to regional weather through the report week. While the Midwest and Northeast faced severe winter conditions, weather moderated in other regions. The Henry Hub spot price fell 16¢ from $2.89/MMBtu on January 28 to $2.73/MMBtu February 4.

At the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), the price of the March 2015 futures contract opened the report week at $2.842/MMBtu and then moved down, with some minor fluctuation, to settle at $2.662/MMBtu.

Pizza company stocks

Shares in Pizza Hut parent Yum! Brands Inc. reached $73.93 Friday, up from $72.28 the previous week and $72.43 two weeks ago.

Domino's finished last week at $99.86, up from $99.05 the previous week, still short of its 52-week high $103.

Papa John's finished at $62.91 Friday, a drop from $63.46 the previous week. Papa John's 52-week high is $64.79.

Papa Murphy's closed at $13.50 Friday, up from $13.23 the previous Friday.

Rave Restaurant Group turned in at $12.12 Friday, up nearly $2 from $10.83 the previous Friday. 

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