United Airlines announced a $1.5 billion stock buyback plan, underscoring a seeming return to an investor focus that had diminished in the pandemic.

United Airlines forecast a stronger-than-expected profit in the current quarter on Tuesday, after third-quarter earnings topped Wall Street expectations on improved pricing power. In a sign of growing confidence in its business,

United Airlines on Tuesday reported that its third-quarter profit fell 15% from a year ago but revenue trends improved thanks to low-fare carriers scaling back their growth plans for the rest of the year.