What Happened?
Shares of airline company United Airlines Holdings (NASDAQ: UAL) fell 5.1% in the morning session after Israel carried out significant strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, dramatically escalating fears of a broader conflict in the Middle East.
This development has sent crude oil prices surging, as investors fear potential disruptions to global oil supply and a wider regional conflic. The conflict also fueled fears of higher operating costs for airlines and reduced global travel demand.
The stock market overreacts to news, and big price drops can present good opportunities to buy high-quality stocks. Is now the time to buy United Airlines? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
What The Market Is Telling Us
United Airlines’s shares are very volatile and have had 27 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.
The previous big move we wrote about was 17 days ago when the stock gained 5.9% on the news that the major indices rebounded (Nasdaq +2.0%, S&P 500 +1.5%) as President Trump postponed the planned 50% tariff on European Union imports, shifting the start date to July 9, 2025. Companies with substantial business ties to Europe likely had some relief as the delay reduced near-term cost pressures and preserved cross-border demand.
United Airlines is down 20.8% since the beginning of the year, and at $75.58 per share, it is trading 31.6% below its 52-week high of $110.52 from January 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of United Airlines’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $1,938.
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