Domino's and Rave Restaurant Group started 2020 off right, with both companies gaining value in the first partial week of trading on the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq last week. And the two brands could likely use that added value as the prices for most basic pizza restaurant commodities moved up over the week as well.

Domino's added $2.36 in value over the week to close Friday at $294.67. And Pizza Inn and Pie Five parent, Rave Restaurant Group, also managed to nudge upward 3 cents to close Friday at $1.74 on the Nasdaq. 

But, the two Louisville, Kentucky-based pizza companies started 2020 off a little less enthusiastically, with Pizza Hut parent, Yum Brands, as well as Papa John's, both taking hits to their stock values in trading last week. 

Triple-QSR company, Yum Brands, recorded a nickel loss on the week in its stock value, closing Friday at $101.85, while pizza-only company, Papa John's, also dipped down $1.23 in value over the trading week to close Friday at $63.23. 

Cheese

On the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, weekly averages for barrels pushed up a little more than 6 cents on the week to $1.89, while 40-pound blocks of cheese dropped about a penny to $1.65. The closing prices for the two allotments began with $1.64 for barrels and $1.89 for blocks, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Cheese production is mixed again after the market experienced back-to-back holiday-shortened weeks and more plants than usual experiencing holiday-related downtime, the U.S.D.A. said. Meanwhile, retail and foodservice supported a sufficient amount of the current demand, as holiday demand fizzled.

Mozzarella and provolone tend to be strong this time of year during year-end festivities and football playoffs which produce heavier demand for feel-good foods like pizza. Cheese stocks overall are reported in good balance with customer needs, though wholesale cheese prices are generally higher.

Wheat

Cash bids for wheat were also mostly higher ranging from 9 cents lower to 25 cents higher for the first week of 2020, the U.S.D.A. said. 

Kansas City U.S. No. 1 Hard Red Winter ordinary protein rail bid was 14 ¾ cents higher, from $5.81 1/4-$5.91 1/4 per bushel. Kansas City U.S. No. 2 Soft Red winter rail bid was not quoted.  

St. Louis truck U.S. No. 2 Soft Red Winter terminal bid was 12 cents higher at $6.25 per bushel. Minneapolis and Duluth U.S. No. 1 Dark Northern Spring, 14.0 to 14.5 percent protein rail, was 9 cents lower to 6 cents higher, from $6.88 1/4-$6.93 1/4 per bushel. Portland U.S. Soft White wheat rail was 5 to 25 cents higher at $6.15 per bushel.

Vehicle fuel

The American Automobile Association reported that a year-end spike in road trip travel last week pushed the national averages for gasoline up about 4 cents on the week, to $2.58 for a gallon of regular unleaded. The association reported that although the national average is now level with what it was at the start of 2019, it's actually 31 cents higher that the 2018 levels at this time. 

"The majority of states saw gas prices increase in the last week — some by as much as a nickel to a dime, but any spikes in gas prices that motorists are seeing will be short-lived," AAA spokesperson Jeanette Casselano said in a summary of the prices issued by the association. "AAA expects gas prices to decrease following the holidays."

Aside from that $2.58 regular unleaded average per gallon, mid-grade averaged $2.91 and premium saw an average price of $3.17 a gallon. The average price for diesel rose 2 cents to $3.02 while E85 averaged about a penny less than its cost last month, coming in $2.33, AAA reported. 

Editor's note: Natural gas prices were not available for last week, but will return shortly. 

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