FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Shares in Tui were in demand among investors in Frankfurt trading on Monday. Statements by Group CEO Sebastian Ebel in an interview with "Bild am Sonntag" suggest a profitable summer, traders said.

For the papers it went up recently by four percent to 6.31 euros. After a recovery in recent days, they have now managed to get back above the 21-day line for the first time since the beginning of February. This had been pointing sharply downward in recent weeks due to a price slump in the wake of a completed capital increase.

"There will be no 'last-minute summer' in 2023 as there used to be," the head of the world's largest travel group told Bild am Sonntag. He expects prices for late bookings to become higher rather than cheaper.

Traders mentioned this as positive, as did Ebel's statement that the travel group would post a profit again this year. In recent years, Tui had run into trouble because of the Corona pandemic and had been rescued with government funds. The recent capital increase has repaid the state funds in full, Ebel added in the interview.

Borsenbrief author Hans Bernecker emphasized in view of such statements that "rattling is part of the trade." That after Corona "absolute bargain prices will be rather the exception should be clear to everyone," the expert added. However, he harbors his doubts that this could become a permanent condition. In the short term, however, the high tourism demand and the rather lower supply will inevitably lead to higher prices and thus also to higher margins, he said.

According to Bernecker, such news is good for the group, which could do with "flab on the ribs." After a series of capital increases and thus a massive dilution of the shares of existing shareholders, as well as after the government support measures, the Tui share could slowly become a "comeback story," in his opinion.

At the end of March, Tui's share price had taken a massive tumble due to the extensive profit dilution brought about by the recent capital increase. In the days that followed, the shares recovered slightly - partly because of a slump in the price of subscription rights. By the end of April, the share price had fallen by more than 60 percent. From its low of 5.63 euros, it has since risen again by 9 percent./tih/mis