Fuel prices down for first time

DIESEL and unleaded petrol have dropped in price for the first time this year.

A litre of diesel (80% of sales) is now €1.4295 as opposed to €1.4362 a week before, down from a record €1.4584 in March.

A litre of unleaded petrol of “95” grade (15% of sales) is €1.6507 down from a record €1.6664 the week before, while SP98 (5%) is down to e1.7001, from €1.7121 at the start of the month.

The prices are official national averages, based on prices at service stations and vary widely locally.

It is the first time the prices have all been down, since the end of last year when prices started an upward spiral due to political tensions in oil producing areas and a weakening of the euro against the dollar, which increases the cost of oil once its value is converted to euros.

Socialist François Hollande has promised that if elected president he will block the prices for three months, a measure Nicolas Sarkozy has described as absurd.

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