UNITED CONTINENTAL POSTS $325M LOSS FOR Q4 IN BETTER THAN EXPECTED RESULT

United Continental Holdings said it lost $325 million in the fourth quarter because of expenses from combining United and Continental airlines. Excluding those costs, the world’s biggest airline earned $160 million, or 44 cents per share, rising above the expectations of analysts, on the back of increased fares. Revenue per mile one mile rose 11.5%. Across the company revenue rose 15% to $8.4 billion. United Continental paid $2.45 billion for fuel in the last three months of 2010, up 22% from the same period a year earlier and up 10% on Q4. Excluding fuel costs rose 1% during Q4. The