                                                                   Exhibit 99.18

          (Text of graph posted to Ashland Inc.'s website concerning APAC's
               14-State Weighted Retail Diesel Price Index)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

               APAC's 14-State Weighted Retail Diesel Price Index


                    1998        1999         2000         2001          2002         2003          2004       1998-2003 Avg.
                    ----        ----         ----         ----          ----         ----          ----       --------------
<S>               <C>         <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>          <C>           <C>              <C>
January           108.93       93.59       132.07       149.26        113.00       146.95        152.19           123.97
February          106.27       92.92       142.33       146.71        112.80       163.90        153.88           127.49
March             104.21       96.09       144.49       135.85        120.37       167.25        158.18           128.04
April             104.23      103.14       138.71       138.11        127.71       150.70        162.00           127.10
May               104.20      103.03       138.74       144.73        127.42       142.26        165.42           126.73
June              101.56      102.56       138.98       143.23        125.11       138.35        164.39           124.96
July              100.40      107.61       140.25       133.89        126.73       139.27        167.71           124.69
August            97.70       112.76       143.40       135.50        129.17       143.88        178.34           127.07
September         99.51       118.06       159.23       143.93        137.26       141.76        187.75           133.29
October           101.12      119.28       158.52       129.99        143.41       144.01        208.91           132.72
November          99.25       122.48       158.04       121.61        138.17       143.86        210.43           130.57
December          94.19       125.79       151.36       113.97        139.79       144.64                         128.29
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average           101.80      108.11       145.51       136.40        128.41       147.23        173.56           127.91
</TABLE>

