AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report for Friday, 7/29/22

National Average Price for Regular Unleaded Current: $2.866; Month Ago: $2.699; Year Ago: $2.69. National Average Price for Diesel Current: $3.101; Month Ago: $2.908; Year Ago: $2.639

Oil last week rose to levels last seen in 2014 amid growing geopolitical risks, with investors anticipating that retaliation against Assad would threaten production in the region, while tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed rebels in Yemen also added to concerns. Still, surging U.S. output continues to weigh on investor sentiment even as the International Energy Agency says the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is close to reaching its target of eliminating a global crude glut. Meanwhile, in the U.S., working oil rigs rose by seven last week to 815, the highest since March 2015, according to data from Baker Hughes. The rig fleet has expanded in 10 of the past 12 weeks. The expansion came after the Energy Information Administration data showed that American oil production rose to a fresh record of 10.5 million barrels a day. Click Read More below for additional information.

UPS announced second-quarter 2024 consolidated revenues of $21.8 billion, a 1.1% decrease from the second quarter of 2023. Consolidated operating profit was $1.9 billion, down 30.1% compared to the second quarter of 2023, and down 29.3% on an adjusted basis. Diluted earnings per share were $1.65 for the quarter; adjusted diluted earnings per share of $1.79 were 29.5% below the same period in 2023. For the second quarter of 2024, GAAP results include an after-tax charge of $120 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, comprised of a one-time payment of $94 million to settle an international regulatory matter, and transformation and other charges of $26 million. “I want to thank all UPSers for their hard work and efforts in the second quarter,” said Carol Tomé, UPS chief executive officer. “This quarter was a significant turning point for our company as we returned to volume growth in the U.S., the first time in nine quarters. As expected, our operating profit declined in the first half of 2024 from what we reported last year. Going forward we expect to return to operating profit growth.”