GENEVA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Global airline share prices increased, and outperformed the global equity index for a third month in a row in June, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said Wednesday.
"The pick-up in global trade is helping to support premium passenger demand, particularly to, from and within Asia Pacific," said IATA in a statement released from Geneva.
June was also the third successive month in which global airline shares outperformed the global equity index, said IATA.
Airline shares have risen by more than 20 percent since the start of 2017, and are currently about 44 percent higher than at the same time last year.
Passenger and freight demand have both continued the strong start they have shown in 2017.
The passenger load factor remains close to an all-time high, while the freight load factor recently recovered to its highest level since July 2014.
IATA noted that although passenger yields remain around 4.5 percent lower in year-on-year terms, the latest monthly data indicate that the downward trend in yields has bottomed out.
A pick-up in global economic activity and lower airfares is supporting passenger demand, said IATA.
