UK-listed airline stocks enjoyed a widespread rally in early trading on Friday as the UK government announced a further easing of overseas travel restrictions. The new rules will allow fully vaccinated travellers to take cheaper lateral flow tests rather than the more expensive PCR tests on their return to England and Wales – Scotland has its own regulations. This is for all countries not on ...

It’s perceived wisdom that ever since the Wright Brothers took to the skies over a century ago the airline industry hasn’t turned a profit. For every boom there has been a more severe bust which has wiped out earnings leaving the industry in net losses. Having said that, until the arrival of the perfect storm in the form of Covid-19, EasyJet (EZJ) had posted a profit every year since it was ...

UK stocks started the week cautiously, in spite of a raft of earnings upgrades, after another weak session in Asia where stocks in China and Japan were down 2% and 1% respectively as the Evergrande saga rumbled on. In energy markets, the focus was on the meeting of OPEC+ oil producers for any decision on whether to increase crude production, after a sharp rally in oil and gas prices this ...

The UK government’s relaxation of international travel restrictions and news that vaccinated passengers from the UK and the EU can now travel to the US has set a light under the shares of British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG), which are up 21% over the last four trading days. Transatlantic travel between London and New York is a key route for the airline ...

Brits love their holidays; it might have rather a lot to do with our inclement climate but every conversation I’ve had over the last few weeks seems to have circled back to summer sun. Who managed to grab a few foreign rays and who didn’t? I confess my Scottish sojourn was memorable, but I still feel somehow cheated as the last three family holidays have been British-based. Covid-19 ...

The owner of British Airways is considering setting up a low-cost short-haul operation that would go into direct competition with Ryanair (RYA) and EasyJet (EZJ) and could trigger a ticket price war. Airline conglomerate International Consolidated Airlines (IAG), which owns British Airways, is investigating plans that would shift its current short-haul flights into a new low-cost subsidiary ...

Major UK shares struggled for momentum on Tuesday as banks and airlines countered gains in miners, although solid earnings and easing fears about early tapering of central bank support kept the blue-chip index on course for its best month since April. At 9am, the benchmark FTSE 100 was by and large flat, inching less than 10 points lower to 7,139.43. Miners gained 1.4% on higher metal ...

London’s FTSE 100 traded 0.15% higher at 7,136.57 points by noon on a quiet day for local corporate and economic news, as investors brace for an update from the US Federal Reserve at this week’s Jackson Hole get-together. The FTSE 250 rose 0.7% to an all-time high of 24,043.49. MAJOR STOCKS ON THE MOVE British Airways-owner International Consolidated Airlines (IAG) gained 2.3% to ...

Being in the teeth of summer holidays season was has always led to low volume and limited corporate news and the UK’s major stocks seem to be set adrift in early trading on Wednesday with no real concerted direction. That investors may be keeping their powder dry ahead of the latest Federal Reserve pronouncements at this week's Jackson Hole get-together only added to the subdued mood. At ...

The FTSE followed through on Tuesday's earnings-driven gains thanks to strong results from insurer Legal and General (LGEN) and record half year completions from housebuilder Taylor Wimpey (TW.), which lifted the whole sector. Asian markets bounced thanks largely to a recovery in technology stocks, including social media and gaming giant Tencent, which had been hit by intense regulatory ...

The FTSE followed the lead of Asian markets and rallied in early trading on Wednesday aided by strong results from insurer Legal and General (LGEN) and record half year completions from housebuilder Taylor Wimpey (TW), which lifted the whole sector. Asian markets bounced thanks largely to a rebound in technology stocks, including social media and gaming giant Tencent, which had been hit by ...

Budget airline Ryanair (RYA) lifted its full year traffic forecast and is eying breakeven as bookings rally with passengers taking advantage of discounted airfares. The Irish airline, Europe’s largest low-cost carrier, said it expected to fly between 90 million and 100 million passengers in its financial year to 31 March 2022, up from an earlier estimated range of between 80 million and 100 ...

UK stocks started the week on the back foot with the FTSE 100 index shedding 29 points or 0.4% to 6,998 points by 8.30am, even though US markets hit a new peak on Friday, as weakness in banks offset gains for mining stocks. US markets ended last week at record levels with the S&P 500 index rising 1% to a new high of 4,411 points and the Nasdaq 100 index gaining 1.2% to 15,112 points. In ...

The latest passenger figures from low-cost airlines Ryanair (RYA) and Wizz Air (WIZZ) show a sharp increase in passenger numbers as the tourist season gets into full swing, lifting some of the gloom which has dogged the sector. During June, Ryanair carried 5.3 million passengers compared with just 400,000 in the same month last year and 1.8 million in May. Ryanair’s load factor – a measure ...

Shares in British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines (IAG) and low cost airline Ryanair (RYA) gained along with other travel stocks despite both being hit by an investigation which could compel them to refund customers. The Competitions and Markets Authority said Ryanair and British Airways’ stance in not offering refunds to customers who legally couldn’t take flights because ...

UK stocks failed to keep pace with European markets on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 index down 25 points or 0.4% to 7,070 points in early trading as weakness in insurers and house builders offset meagre gains for travel and leisure stocks. Brent crude prices rose to $72.50 per barrel on signs of strong demand in the US and Europe, while concerns over Iranian supplies coming back to the market ...

Shares in low cost airline Wizz Air (WIZZ) fell 1% to £48.31 as it swung to a deep annual loss after the pandemic sent passenger volumes plunging, and expects another loss next year. Net losses for the year to 31 March 2021 amounted to €576 million, compared to a year-on-year profit of €281.1 million. Revenue sank 73% to €739 million as passenger volumes tumbled 75% to 10.2 ...

Shares in airlines and package holiday providers jumped higher on Tuesday after reports emerged that the EU is set to approve the use of so-called vaccine passports to get travel and tourism going again in Europe ahead of the peak summer season. The move would have big implications for budget airlines and tour operators in particular, with package holiday firm Jet2 (JET2:AIM) for example having ...

London’s FTSE 100 erased earlier losses on Monday to finish only slightly lower, off 0.2% at 7,032.85 points by the close. The move came as most of the UK eased coronavirus restrictions, although airlines, pubs, and restaurants all lost ground amid fears over the Indian coronavirus strain. The blue chip benchmark’s intra-day recovery from its lows arose in spite of a weak start on Wall ...

London’s FTSE was weaker at midday on Monday, despite optimism over the UK’s lifting of additional Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, as sterling strength, worries regarding the India variant of the virus and weakness in the banking and mining sectors weighed on investor sentiment. By midday, the blue chip benchmark was down 0.7% at 6,994.01 points. UK investors will be keeping a close eye ...