American Airlines extends run as oil slips, routes expand
shares climbed again Friday, last trading at $14.98, up 2.25%. The stock had already gained 9.17% on Thursday. Nearly 153.3 million shares changed hands, about twice the usual volume. Still, shares stayed under the 52-week high of $16.50. American Airlines Group Inc. tends to react to changes in fuel costs. Brent crude finished at $87.33 a barrel on Friday, off 3.37%, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate slipped 3.23% to $84.88. Traders were watching for signs of a possible U.S.-Iran peace deal. Cheaper oil is usually a plus for airlines since jet fuel is a major expense. Back in April, American said it was projecting 2026 numbers using fuel around $4.00 per gallon. That could mean more than $4 billion extra costs if jet fuel stays high.