Heating Oil
USD/gal · Yahoo Finance
Price history
Other fuels
What drives the price
Heating Oil (NY Harbor ULSD) is the NYMEX futures contract for ultra-low-sulfur diesel and heating oil at New York Harbor. The contract serves as the global diesel and jet-fuel reference for trading purposes, and is closely watched by trucking, aviation and heating sectors.
- Diesel demand from US trucking and rail makes HO a real-time read on freight activity
- Winter cold snaps in the US Northeast pull heating-oil demand and lift HO prices
- European diesel imports from Asia and the Middle East tie HO to ARA (Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp) cracks
- Tightening sulfur regulations (IMO 2020, Euro 7) keep distillate margins structurally elevated vs gasoline
Frequently asked questions
What is heating oil (NY Harbor ULSD)?
NY Harbor ULSD is the NYMEX futures contract for ultra-low-sulfur diesel (≤15 ppm sulfur) and heating oil delivered at the New York Harbor area. It is the global reference for diesel pricing in trading even though physical diesel ships from many other hubs.
How is heating oil related to diesel?
They are nearly identical products — heating oil is the same distillate fuel used for residential heating boilers, while diesel powers trucks, trains and ships. The same NYMEX HO contract covers both since 2013 with the ULSD specification.
When does heating oil demand peak?
Heating-oil demand peaks in winter months, especially in the US Northeast (about 80% of US heating-oil consumption). Cold snaps from November through March can lift HO futures 5-15% within days. Summer demand comes from diesel trucking and farm equipment.
What is the diesel–gasoline spread?
Distillate fuels (diesel, heating oil) typically command a premium over gasoline because refining capacity favors gasoline production. The HO–RB spread widens during winter and during tight refining cycles, signaling distillate stress.
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About this benchmark
Heating Oil is one of the principal benchmarks for energy markets. NowPrice publishes the live futures price (USD/gal) along with intraday range and a 24-hour / 7-day / 30-day price-history chart. Data is sourced from Yahoo Finance and refreshed every 5 minutes during market hours.