Midday Leaders and Laggards: Nasdaq 100

NEW YORK - The Nasdaq 100 index rose in midday trading Tuesday, helped up in part by airlines as crude oil prices eased from last week's record highs.

The index, which includes 100 of the largest nonfinancial securities listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, gained 13.02 points to 1,839.95 in midday trading. The broader Nasdaq composite rose 9.40 points to 2,252.72.

Light, sweet crude for August delivery fell $5.72 to $135.65 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Last week prices had flirted with the $150 per barrel mark.

Shares of Ireland's Ryanair Holdings PLC gained $2.25, or 8.6 percent, to $28.38. The profitability of airline operators is closely linked to jet-fuel costs.

United Airlines operator UAL Corp. added 45 cents, or 10.6 percent, to $4.64. The company said it would cut 150 jobs at Denver International Airport.

Shares of online auctioneer eBay Inc. rose $1.31, or 4.9 percent, to $28.23.

On the declining side, shares of Focus Media Holding Ltd. slipped $1.42, or 5.3 percent, to $25.15 after hitting a 52-week low of $24.63 earlier in the session.

Shares of Steel Dynamics Inc. fell $1.93, or 5.8 percent, to $31.23.

Shares of Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. lost 8 cents, or 4 percent, to $1.90.

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