95-octane fuel passes $2 mark

Fuel prices kicked up again yesterday, taking 95-octane petrol above $2 for the first time. All four main oil companies put their prices up by 3c a litre for both petrol and diesel.

That pushed 95-octane petrol up to 201.9c at Shell and Caltex stations.

BP's "ultimate" 98 octane was last night selling at 210.9c a litre and Mobil's was up to 207.9c. Meanwhile, the mainstream grade (91 octane) was only a few cents short of the $2 mark at 196.9c a litre.

Diesel was also up 3c at 167.9c a litre.

The latest rise is the sixth hike since the beginning of last month, another blow for household budgets also under pressure from rising food, water and power prices.