U.S. airline stocks rise sharply = = = = Tuesday September 2, 3:45 PM EDT = CHICAGO, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Shares of major U.S. airlines rallied on Tues= day, with Northwest Airlines Corp. (NWAC) and Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) = both jumping more than 10 percent, on a combination of factors including = improving revenue. Delta shares rose $1.41 or 11 percent to $14.28 and Northwest rose 96 cen= ts or 10.5 percent to $9.96. Also rising were Texas-based carriers Continental Airlines Inc. (CAL), up= more than 7 percent, and American Airlines parent AMR Corp. (AMR), surgi= ng more than 5 percent. "Lower oil prices, imminent August revenue guidance and the prospect for = smaller than anticipated losses this quarter appear to be fueling the mar= ket's appetite for airline equity," said J.P. Morgan Securities analyst J= amie Baker. Major U.S. airlines are still amassing big financial losses but unit reve= nue, which measures how much money is taken in per available seat mile, h= as been improving for the last three months. The American Stock Exchange's airline index (XAL) was 5 percent higher at= 59.27 shortly before the market closed. = =A92003 Reuters Limited. = Roger EWROPS