Virgin Australia CEO Downplays Mideast Fears as Shares Debut

Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Dave Emerson brushed away concerns the Middle East conflict will disrupt demand for travel as the airline surged on its return to the stock exchange in Sydney.

After years of planning, the Bain Capital-backed carrier finally completed a A$685 million ($440 million) initial public offering on Tuesday. The first shares changed hands just hours after Iran’s retaliatory missile attack on a US air base in Qatar, and an announcement by President Donald Trump that Israel and Iran had agreed to a tentative ceasefire.