Asphalt Prices - A by product of Oil and Gas

Asphalt prices moving due to two reasons 

1. Greater oil prices in the past 
2. Higher movement of refiners to complex ones where by residuals basically asphalt gets used to get gasoline etc rather than being sent to the industry 
3. Generally considered as a lead indicator 

http://www.techtransfer.berkeley.edu/newsletter/05-4/highprice.php