Shares of regional banks advanced Friday after improving credit trends lifted quarterly results across the industry.

The positive news stemmed in part from improving credit trends, as SunTrust Banks Inc., Fifth Third Bancorp, Huntington Bancshares Inc. all reported easing loan losses.

In afternoon trading, SunTrust shares were up $1.61, or nearly 6 percent, at $29.48. Fifth Third stock gained 27 cents, or nearly 2 percent, at $14.49. Huntington shares rose 18 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $7.03.

On Friday, SunTrust easily beat Wall Street expectations with its second-consecutive quarterly profit. The Atlanta-based bank reported stronger interest and noninterest income, along with a steep drop in the money it set aside for loan losses.

Huntington Bancshares also said earlier this week that it swung to a profit in the fourth quarter as souring loans continued to decline. The bank based in Columbus, Ohio, said its results included a one-time charge of 7 cents a share for the deemed dividend resulting from Huntington's previously announced repayment of federal government aid during the financial crisis.

U.S. Magistrate Bruce Guyton recommended denying the class action status sought by attorneys for some of the 457 plaintiffs spread among about 50 current lawsuits, and for any others waiting to sue.

Since the Dec. 22, 2008, spill of 5.4 million cubic yards of toxin-laden sludge in the Emory River and on privately held land beside TVA's' Kingston Plant, the utility has negotiated buyouts of more than 170 properties and is continuing a cleanup that is projected to cost $1.2 billion.

"A class action is not superior to other available methods for fairly and efficiently adjudicating these cases," Guyton said in his recommendation.

"The diversity of claims in these cases and the danger of plaintiffs being excluded from asserting their individual claims for personal injury, medical monitoring, or other claims undermine the adequacy of representation" in a class action, the magistrate's recommendation said.

Schlumberger's fourth-quarter net income jumped 31 percent, the company reported Friday, as demand for oilfield services surged around the world along with the price of energy.

Oil prices have moved consistently higher since last summer. A barrel of oil now costs more than $90.

The energy industry, after slumping during the recession, is aggressively bumping up production to meet demand and major oil producers need companies Schlumberger to manage drill sites across the globe.

The company's shares have been climbing since last summer as well, and before the market opened Friday, the stock rose nearly 2 percent to $86.80.

Schlumberger has had to grow with major producers and last year spent $11 billion to acquire Smith International Inc.

It was the time that Smith's operations were reflected over an entire quarter and during the past three months, the company contributed revenue of $2.49 billion and pretax operating income of $275 million.

Schlumberger Ltd., based in Houston, earned $1.04 billion, or 76 cents per share, for the final three months of the year. That compares with $795 million, or 65 cents per share, in the year-ago period. Revenue increased 58 percent at $9.07 billion.

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Analysts had expected a bigger profit, and Delta shares fell 58 cents, or 4.6 percent, to $12.17 in morning trading. Shares of other airlines were lower as well.

Delta earned 2 cents per share for the fourth quarter. Not counting special items it would have earned 19 cents per share. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected 27 cents per share. A year earlier it lost $25 million, or 3 cents per share. Delta said many analysts didn't include the impact of the late-December storms.

Earlier this month, Delta said the snow storms would cut its fourth-quarter profit by $45 million after it canceled some 4,000 flights.

Revenue rose 14 percent to $7.79 billion, more than analysts expected.

During 2010, airlines including Delta, benefited as passengers -- especially business travelers -- returned to flying as the economy improved. Delta's revenue for each passenger flown one mile rose 8 percent during the fourth quarter. Delta's operating costs for each seat flown one mile rose by 2 percent. They would have fallen 2 percent if not for fuel and special items. Its fuel bill alone rose 13 percent to $1.93 billion for the quarter.