Article
Spring bodes well for gas, pizza stock prices
Seasonal lessening demand for natural gas keeps prices down, while the top pizza stocks continue their slow, steady rebound.
March 28, 2010
Cheese Block cheese prices held steady last week on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, averaging just under $1.29 per pound. Prices rose 1 cent from the previous week. Prices closed at just under $1.27 Monday and Tuesday, $1.28 Wednesday, $1.29 Thursday and $1.33 Friday. Wheat Wheat closed at just above $4.97 per bushel Friday on the Minneapolis Grain Exchange, off 12 cents from the previous week's close of $5.09. Prices for wheat closed at just over $5.11 Monday, over $5.05 Tuesday, just under $5.03 per bushel Wednesday and $4.97 per bushel Thursday. Gasoline and diesel fuel The nationwide average for regular unleaded gasoline was $2.80 per gallon March 29, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service, down 2 cents from the previous week.
Prices are up 4 percent from an average of $2.70 per gallon a month ago and up 37 percent from an average of $2.05 per gallon this time last year. Mid-range unleaded currently averages $2.97 per gallon while premium unleaded as of March 29 stood at $3.08 per gallon. The nationwide average price for diesel fuel stood at $2.94 per gallon March 29, flat from from last week. Diesel prices are up 30 percent from an average of $2.26 per gallon this time last year. Natural gas The natural gas market is transitioning to spring, a "shoulder" season of lower demand between the relatively high-demand periods of winter and summer, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. As space-heating demand ebbed during the report week, prices declined across the lower 48 States. The Henry Hub spot price ended trading on March 24 at $4.02 per million Btu (MMBtu), a decrease of $0.25 compared with the previous Wednesday, March 17. Pizza company stocks Shares in Pizza Hut parent Yum! Brands Inc. closed at $38.27 on March 26, up 33 cents compared with the previous week's close of $37.94. YUM traded at a 52-week high of $38.86 in March 2010 2009 and a 52-week low of $27.08 in March 2009. Domino's closed at $13.79, up 44 cents compared with the previous Friday's close of $13.35. 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 $25.02, down 40 cents compared with the previous Friday's close of $25.42. 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 $38.18, up 69 cents compared with the previous week's close of $37.49. CEC traded at a 52-week high of $38.26 in March 2010 and a 52-week low of $23.54 in March 2009. California Pizza Kitchen closed at $16.88 on March 26, down 62 cents from the previous week's close of $17.50. CPKI traded as high as $18.32 in March 2010 and as low as $12.29 in December 2009. Pizza Inn closed at $2.10 on March 19, up 5 cents from the previous week's close of $2.05. 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 Indy Kethdy.
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