Delta Air Lines: Airline Winners and Losers

Shares of most major U.S. airlines fell modestly Monday afternoon, mimicking the slight losses in the broader market.

The Amex Airlines Index was off 0.2%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down about 9.37 at 9,855.57, having crossed above the 9,900 threshold earlier. Other indexes were mixed, as energy and materials stocks did well.

Any enthusiasm for airline stocks was dimmed, however, by another gain in oil prices, which could mean higher jet fuel prices down the road. Oil prices rose because the weakening U.S. dollar made dollar-denominated oil a relative bargain.

Benchmark crude for November delivery increased $1.58 to $73.35 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange by Monday afternoon. Despite large supplies, crude prices have jumped 5% in three trading days.

At the close, shares of Delta Air Lines (DAL Quote) gained 23 cents to $8.90; American Airlines parent AMR (AMR Quote) gained 9 cents to $7.66; United parent UAL (UAUA Quote) lost 4 cents to $7.16; and Continental Airlines (CAL Quote) gained 15 cents to $16.30.

Shares of US Airways (LCC Quote) gained 4 cents to $4.51; JetBlue Airways (JBLU Quote) lost 1 cents to $5.66; and Alaska Air Group (ALK Quote) gained 6 cents to $27.80.