CATHAY PAC AIR (00293) shares have risen by more than 3% once again. At the time of writing, the stock is up 3.31% to HK$14.04, with a trading turnover of HK$51.1673 million.

The catalyst for the move is a company announcement released on July 22. The group anticipates reporting a consolidated profit attributable to shareholders of approximately HK$6.0 to HK$6.5 billion for the six months ending June 30, 2026. This projected figure includes a gain of about HK$1.4 billion from the deemed disposal of an associate, resulting from the dilution of the group's interest in Air China Limited, as previously disclosed in the company's May 2026 traffic figures announcement dated June 23, 2026.

For comparison, the profit attributable to shareholders for the six months ended June 30, 2025, was HK$3.7 billion.

The announcement further detailed that CATHAY PAC AIR and HK Express together carried over 3.1 million passengers during the month. Meanwhile, Cathay Cargo transported approximately 145,000 tonnes of freight. Both passenger and cargo volumes showed a year-on-year increase of 9%.

In June 2026, CATHAY PAC AIR's passenger numbers increased by 12% compared to the same month in 2025, with available seat kilometers rising by 6% year-on-year. For the first six months of 2026, passenger numbers grew by 17% compared to the same period in 2025.

The group's performance for the first half of 2026 has also benefited from sustained robust demand for both Cathay Pacific and Cathay Cargo services, improved performance from HK Express, and better profit contributions from associated companies.