American Airlines parent AMR loses 1.97 m $ in the fourth quarter (AP)

DALLAS - American Airlines is much better than last year, thanks to higher rates and money, extra cost, but it is still losing money.

Third airline nation is pinning hopes for a turnaround put high-dollar business travelers more flights and travel between some major American cities.

Although this strategy works - and some analysts such as he - American still faces enormous challenges ranging from rising fuel costs a fight ugly with travel agencies which makes it harder to find American flights online.

U.S. parent AMR Corp. said Wednesday that it lost $ 97 million in the fourth quarter, or 29 cents per share. It is smaller than AMR posted a year ago, and he beats forecasts of analysts who expected a loss of 36 cents per share, according to FactSet.

Revenue jumped 10.3%, 5.59 billion — better than analysts expected. Air tickets increased as airlines flights limited and filled more passenger aircraft. The average American flight in 2010 was 81.9% of filled seats - is a record.

Airlines also raised money by imposing a variety of fees. AMR, category Tote with "other income," which includes baggage and food, sales increased 2.9% in the fourth quarter to $ 599 million.

But the coup de pouce of income was not enough to offset the costs of fuel. AMR, which also holds regional carrier American Eagle, paid 1.66 billion for fuel in the fourth quarter, an increase of 12.9% in one year.

Even more troubling, the company expects prices of fuel to raise at least $ 1 billion this year. CEO Gerard Arpey named "the threat more disturbing that we see."

AMR shares fell 38 cents, or 4.6%, $7.91 in afternoon trading.

Texas-based AMR lost 471 million for all of 2010. When the major airlines of U.S. finished results next week, AMR should only show a loss for the year complete.

There are several reasons why AMR lags competitors. It faces more stringent governmental restrictions on international service, Delta and trails the US in the important market of trans-Pacific, is facing higher labour and pension costs and operates older aircraft.

Plan of Arpey to turn things includes stimulate circulation in the Pacific and Atlantic dealt with British Airways and Japan Airlines partners. American finally won an antitrust immunity for these companies. In the United States, he focused carefully on five major cities, including New York and Los Angeles while minimizing others.

The two movements are designed to attract business travellers who typically pay higher than leisure travellers rates.

"This is a great network," said Michael Derchin, an analyst at CRT Capital Group. "This is a directory of places where business people reside or want to travel."

American announced Wednesday that he will order two new aircraft from Boeing 777 - 300 long-range for use on international flights. Terms were not disclosed. Boeing Co. lists aircraft 284 million each, but regularly, though customers get discounts.

American also said that he speaks with Expedia and Orbitz get listed flights again on Web sites of online travel agencies. American wants to reduce the costs of distribution of tickets, bypassing intermediaries such as Sabre Holdings, who charge airlines for their service. But for the moment, the conflict has claimed Americans harder to find online flights.

This week agreed Priceline.com obtain details of the flight directly from American. Ray Neidl, Maxim, Group analyst said that the Priceline deal could be the model American uses to resolve disputes with Expedia and Orbitz.

China can launch first property taxes in the first quarter (Reuters)

SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - China is set to further clamp on the housing market floating the country imposing a tax of property of long controversial for the first time in the southwest of Chongqing City, national media reported Monday.

Chongqing won "in principle" approval of the Ministry of finance and can introduce property tax as soon as this quarter, City Government cited China Securities Journal says.

Analysts expect the tax of approximately 1%, said the newspaper.

China has debated for many years to have a tax but retained fears, could seriously affect the market.

National media, recent months suggest, however, that the Chinese Government is finally warming to the idea and could impose a property tax on an experimental basis in several cities including Chongqing, Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen.

The China Business News has declared Monday as Chongqing likely to tax only the high range, unlike Shanghai, properties which reportedly will tax only certain secondary residences.

China has taken a series of measures to cool its market of property inflamed since late 2009 in efforts to combat speculation "hot money" flowing into the country.

Despite the measures, the housing prices in major cities in China soared by more than one-fifth of last year.

Analysts welcomed the tax as a means to prevent the market.

"Conditions are now good start of a land tax collection and China should start as soon as possible," the China Securities Journal cited the State Information Center, a Government think tank, said.

The China home prices forecast Centre can facilitate this year and predicted that the Government will be jack down payment requirements and mortgage rates if rebound real estate prices.

Official daily, the spokesman of the Communist Party, people said the same way.

"Overall, property policies in 2011 will remain tight,", said the paper. "If economic conditions improve, property policies could even shake."

Stressing the buoyancy of the real estate market, the Centre of Information predicts state real estate investment will grow more than 20% this year, driven by robust demand and large profit margins in the industry.

Real estate investment jumped nearly 37% in the first 11 months of 2010 for one year.

(Statement by Lu Jianxin, Langi Chiang and Kazunori Takada;) (Koh Gui Qing and Ken wills Edition)

BMO profit up 14% in the modest quarter for banks (CBC)

Bank of Montreal said fourth-quarter profit jumped 14 percent recovery one quarter modest for the largest banks in the country shown mixed results.

BMO chart stock of 3 months. (CBC)

The Bank of the fourth-most country goods said Tuesday that he won 739 million dollars, or $1.24 per share for the quarter, up $ 647 million, or $1.11 per share, during the same period a year ago. Revenues increased by eight percent to 3.23 billion.

Analysts expect, on average, $1.23 a share and revenues of $ 3.08 billion.

Provisions for credit in the quarter losses were 253 million from $ 133 million in the previous year, then to return on equity rose 15.1%, from 14% a year ago.

However, the bank kept unchanged dividend at 70 cents per share.

For the year, the Bank said she won 2.81 billion dollars, or $4.75 per share.

Barclays Capital analyst John Aiken said that provisions of the Bank for doubtful accounts are a disappointment for the quarter, but not a major concern.

"Even if BMO has undergone similar fresh growth as peers, it was lower than the group, and the Bank was able to compensate with revenue growth," Aiken wrote in a note to clients.

"Markets financial and private client had quarters of stand-out and although retail banking on both sides of the border [stable], they have done both decline report sequential modest gains."

The five largest banks earned a combined benefit of $ 4.45 billion in the fourth quarter - slightly higher than in the same period last year - as weakness of corporate finance and trade eclipsed revenues banking consumer resistance.

While profits were above $ 4.44 billion in the fourth quarter of last year, the overall results were further evidence that there will be some time before the banks back to advantage blockbuster growth they enjoyed before the recession.

One of the most stellar performers was raised its dividend, although it is regarded as the sixth largest bank in the country and is considerably smaller than its big brothers Canada National Bank.

The Royal Bank of the Canada has been widely considered the most important underperformer as he disappointed investors with its quarterly report and analyst interrupted by a wide margin expectations. TD Bank also fell average estimates.

(With files from the Canadian Press)