Petrol prices fall three cents

Petrol prices have fallen another three cents a litre today.

The drop -- the seventh in about seven weeks -- means 91-octane is now $1.439, 95 is $1.489 and diesel - which fell four cents - is $1.039.

Sharon Buckland, spokeswoman for Chevron New Zealand, which owns Caltex, said the rising New Zealand dollar was a major contributor to the fall in prices.

"It's a continuation of the easing back of the very high prices we saw earlier this year."

Ms Buckland said the price drop meant prices were back to January levels.

Shell spokeswoman Jackie Maitland said the company had moved first at 10am today, helped by the strengthening dollar.

"We're seeing a decrease in cost of the barrel price -- that's the crude -- and in addition to that we're seeing a decrease in the cost of finished product and more so in diesel."

BP and Mobil also both put their petrol prices down 3c and diesel 4c.

- NZPA