European aviation stocks declined, following a drop among Asian carriers, on concern an outbreak of the bird-flu virus in China will clip travel and hurt demand already unsettled by rising military tensions with North Korea.

Rolls-Royce today unveiled an order worth $1.8bn in its latest deal from the fast-growing Chinese market.

Financially struggling China Eastern Airlines plans to buy 20 Airbus A320 jets following an agreement last week with the European aircraft maker.

China ordered 150 Airbus single-aisle A320 airliners today, more than twice as many plane orders than the company’s US-based rival Boeing received from China last month.

British Airways ushered in a new era of expansion today with its first new long-haul service for nearly three years.

An airliner that crashed in northern China exploded seconds after take-off and “broke into flaming fragments” before plunging into an ice-covered lake, killing 54 people, but investigators found no evidence of terrorism, reports said today.

A PASSENGER plane crashed into a lake in northern China immediately after take-off yesterday, killing all 53 people aboard and two others on the ground.

A passenger plane crashed into a lake today in northern China immediately after take-off, killing all 53 people aboard and two others on the ground, the government said.

China signed a contract to buy £1.1bn (€1.6bn) worth of Airbus airliners today.

Thirteen passengers on a Chinese jet were taken to hospital suffering lung and ear damage after the plane lost cabin pressure at 25,000 feet and made an emergency landing.

Share prices closed the morning lower in listless trade, with investors waiting for the outcome of the US FOMC meeting tomorrow and the interim results announcement from China Mobile on Wednesday, dealers said.

Share prices closed the morning lower due to the general perception that the outlook for Wall Street will remain unstable, in spite of its strong gains overnight, dealers said.