The airline sector took a hit Friday, after J.P. Morgan downgraded some key players on concerns that rising fuel prices and continued pricing weakness make current earnings expectations unachievable. Shares of United Continental Holdings Inc. dropped 3.0%, Spirit Airlines Inc. fell 2.4% and American Airlines Group Inc. shed 0.8%, after analyst Jamie Baker downgraded all three air carriers to neutral from overweight. Elsewhere, shares of Alaska Air Group Inc. lost 2.7% and Delta Air Lines Inc. eased 0.2%. Bucking the trend, Southwest Airlines Co.’s stock , inched up less than 0.1%, after Baker upgraded the carrier to overweight from neutral, saying the recent selloff–down 15% over the past two months–makes the risk-versus-reward profile attractive for investors. JetBlue Airways Corp.’s stock tacked on 0.1%, after Baker raised his price target to $29 from $26, citing easier unit revenue comparisons and moderated capacity growth. The NYSE Arca Airline Index fell 0.7%. The sector tracker has shed 6.1% over the past three months, while the S&P 500 has gained 2.7%.
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