VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Airlines are now retiring from hedges after being hurt by low fuel prices. The 58% drop in crude prices since the middle of 2014 has pushed hedge market into a draconic loss, leading airlines to shy away from hedges

Last fall, when the price of oil started dropping, fund manager Craig Hodges figured crude would rebound in 2015 and began buying shares of companies he thought would be unfairly hit, including construction company Primoris Services Corp and Eagle Materials Inc, which produces sand used in fracked wells.

Chief executives of the three largest U.S. airlines said they want the U.S. government to modify or terminate air treaties with two Persian Gulf nations, the Wall Street Journal reported.

American Airlines Group Inc said Tuesday that it plans to pay flight attendants an additional four percentage points on top of raises already averaging 10 percent, thanks to profits that have strengthened as oil prices have collapsed.

U.S. stocks ended mostly down on Wednesday, as a decline in Apple shares dragged the Nasdaq lower and investors held off on big bets before the European Central Bank's upcoming policy meeting.

US Airways and American Airlines took a step closer to merger.