Delta delays Saudi Arabia nonstop flights after airport attacks. By Alejandra García - October 12, 2026 Delta Air Lines said it will delay the launch of its nonstop service between Atlanta and the Saudi capital Riyadh until March after several deadly attacks hit the city's airport there. Delta planned to begin the route on Oct. 23, with an Airbus A350-900 widebody plane, in what would have marked the first nonstop commercial flight between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia operated by a U.S. airline. But since Thursday, thousands of flights have been canceled to and from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, according to Flightradar24. The deadly attacks, claimed by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis, escalated Saturday, when a projectile struck a passenger terminal at the airport, officials said, killing at least 12 people and wounding more than 300. King Khalid International Airport remains closed as of Monday. "We remain in close contact with relevant government and aviation partners, including Saudia and Riyadh Air, as we monitor the situation," Delta said in a statement. "Saudi Arabia remains an important market for Delta, and we are committed to serving the Kingdom for the long-term." Delta CEO Ed Bastian had told CNBC on Thursday that the airline hadn't yet decided whether to postpone the debut. "Obviously, we were disappointed to see the news this week," he said. "Safety is going to make the call." Delta's decision came after the Federal Aviation Administration on Sunday told U.S. airlines to exercise caution when flying in or around Saudi Arabia. The FAA said pilots should "exercise caution" in or around Saudi Arabia "due to safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activities" and navigation systems. In the warning, which is in effect until Dec. 10, the agency said the threats could be a potential risk "to aircraft at all altitudes." Airlines suspended flights to the airport, some for the rest of the week, while countries including the U.S. and Australia advised citizens against travel to the region. - CNBC's Michele Luhn contributed to this report. The new era of interactive journalism

Wall Street in the green awaiting a positive earnings season. SpaceX pressures mobile operators. The main U.S. stock exchanges rose, driven by anticipation of another positive quarterly earnings season. The telecommunications sector was down, after SpaceX intensified its push into the sector. The main U.S. markets closed the last session of the week in positive territory, driven by anticipation of another quarterly earnings reporting season. The U.S. corporate sector is going through one of the strongest profit cycles in recent history, with S&P 500 companies recording seven consecutive quarters of double-digit profit growth, according to Bloomberg data. And investors want to see that momentum continue. "It seems to me that corporate profits remain remarkably strong," said Bob Edwards of Edwards Asset Management, cited by the same financial news agency. According to Bloomberg Intelligence, analysts expect an increase of approximately 25% in S&P 500 profits in the third quarter compared with the same period a year earlier. At the close of Friday's session, the S&P 500 rose 0.59% to 7,811.54 points, the Dow Jones advanced 0.83% to 51,654.95 points and the Nasdaq Composite increased 0.64% to 27,366.17 points. The three indexes posted weekly gains. Individually, telecom operators stood out negatively, after SpaceX announced an agreement to buy nationwide low-band spectrum licenses, with the goal of establishing itself among the largest mobile network operators in the United States. AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon fell more than 10%, while SpaceX rose 1.25%. Slightly higher were Delta Air Lines (0.11%), which cut its full-year profit forecast, pressured by high "jet fuel" prices, and Apple, which fell 1.10% following news cited by Bloomberg indicating that the company reduced component orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, due to weaker-than-expected demand. "Earnings and investment in artificial intelligence continue to be strong supports for growth stocks, but high long-term interest rates, energy-related inflation risk and weak market breadth leave less room for disappointment," said Mark Hackett of Nationwide, cited by Bloomberg. "With valuations, sentiment and positioning readjusted after a prolonged period of sideways movement, there are reasons for optimism."

Delta slashes 2026 profit forecast as cost surge wipes out gains. Soaring jet fuel prices driven by war and supply pressures force Delta to cut its annual earnings outlook, despite strong travel demand and rising fares. October 9, 2026 Delta Air Lines cut its 2026 profit forecast by nearly 25% due to a $6 billion jump in expected fuel costs, mainly driven by global conflict and increased oil prices. The company now predicts adjusted annual earnings of $5.10 to $5.60 per share, down from earlier estimates of $6.50 to $7.50. The big picture: Delta's new profit midpoint falls below Wall Street's average expectations, with projected adjusted pre-tax profit of $4.5 billion for 2026. * Third-quarter adjusted earnings were $1.72 per share, missing analyst estimates, while the operating margin dropped to 9.4% from 11.1%. Driving the news: Rising jet fuel prices - intensified by ongoing war in Iran - have produced the airline industry's biggest crisis since the pandemic, according to Delta. * U.S. airlines spent $42.9 billion on fuel in the first eight months of 2026, $13.2 billion more than the prior year, even as fuel consumption declined. * Average U.S. airline fares rose about 25% over the previous year during the five months through August, helping airlines partially offset higher costs. Go deeper: Delta owns a refinery near Philadelphia, expected to provide a $700 million profit in 2026, partially cushioning the company from soaring fuel prices. * Despite this advantage, Delta's fuel cost per gallon is projected to rise from $3.61 in Q3 to $4.25 in Q4, and overall fuel prices are expected to remain elevated. * Delta says demand for travel continues to be strong, particularly among premium passengers, and more than half of fourth-quarter sales are already booked. * Industry analysts predict a full recovery from higher fuel costs through raised revenues is unlikely before early 2027. Les Hubbard is a contributing reporter for The San Joaquin Valley Sun.