NEW YORK (dpa-AFX Broker) - Positively received financial results and a better-than-expected outlook from Delta Air Lines boosted airline stocks Thursday. Delta reported a narrower first-quarter net loss on strong revenue growth. For the second quarter, the company expects earnings above the average market estimate and another significant increase in revenue. It also reaffirmed its full-year targets.

Delta shares were recently up 2.4 percent in pre-market trading, while those of its direct competitors American Airlines and United Airlines rose by 2.1 and 2.9 percent, respectively. Lufthansa shares also made a small upward leap following the Delta news and were last quoted up 1.6 percent./edh/mis