# US diesel hits $4 per gallon as fuel costs rise amid escalating Middle East conflict | Reuters

> The US national average diesel price rose 14.7 cents from Tuesday to $4.04 per gallon, the first time in nearly two years. Iranian attacks on energy infrastructure and Strait of Hormuz disruption drove the increase amid tight global diesel inventories.

- Date: 2026-03-04 · published 2026-03-04T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: geopolitics · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/5530-us-diesel-hits-4-per-gallon-as-fuel-costs-rise-amid-escalating-middle-east
- Commodities: [ULSD / Diesel](https://feedsoft.ai/c/DIESEL.md), [Crude Oil (WTI)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/WTI.md), [Soybean Oil](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SBO.md)

## Why it matters

Higher diesel costs raise freight and processing expenses for feed makers and farmers, and firm energy prices can support soybean oil and palm oil through biofuel demand.

## Read by commodity

- SBO: bullish ▲
- WTI: bullish ▲
- DIESEL: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| DIESEL | 2025-06-13 | [Diesel most exposed to Middle East conflict, US futures surge 8% \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/7756-diesel-most-exposed-to-middle-east-conflict-us-futures-surge-8-reuters.md) | +15.6% | +11.6% |
| DIESEL | 2026-03-17 | [US average diesel prices cross $5 a gallon as Middle East War tests global economy \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/20338-us-average-diesel-prices-cross-5-a-gallon-as-middle-east-war-tests-global.md) | +6.6% | -5.4% |
| DIESEL | 2026-03-15 | [Oil poised for further gains as Middle East conflict threatens export facilities \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/6639-oil-poised-for-further-gains-as-middle-east-conflict-threatens-export.md) | +15.6% | -4.9% |
| DIESEL | 2026-03-01 | [Oil jumps, dollar rallies with gold as conflict grips Middle East \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10713-oil-jumps-dollar-rallies-with-gold-as-conflict-grips-middle-east-reuters.md) | +36.4% | +69.9% |
| DIESEL | 2026-03-10 | [Diesel markets, upended by Middle East conflict, threaten global economic slowdown \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/20337-diesel-markets-upended-by-middle-east-conflict-threaten-global-economic.md) | +11.4% | +27.3% |
| WTI | 2025-06-13 | [Diesel most exposed to Middle East conflict, US futures surge 8% \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/7756-diesel-most-exposed-to-middle-east-conflict-us-futures-surge-8-reuters.md) | +10.2% | +1.1% |
| WTI | 2023-10-09 | [Middle East conflict fuels rise in commodity prices \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/9277-middle-east-conflict-fuels-rise-in-commodity-prices-reuters.md) | +5.9% | -2.2% |
| WTI | 2024-10-31 | [Oil Rises On Middle East Conflict Escalation Fears](https://feedsoft.ai/events/28028-oil-rises-on-middle-east-conflict-escalation-fears.md) | +4.5% | +0.2% |

## Sources

- reuters.com: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-diesel-hits-4-per-gallon-fuel-costs-rise-amid-escalating-middle-east-conflict-2026-03-04/

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.