European regulators have included Cathay Pacific in an investigation of suspected price rigging for freight services, the Hong Kong-based carrier said on Monday, widening a probe that has targeted Singapore Airlines and other airlines.

Cathay Pacific said it would cooperate with investigators.

The European Commission last week charged several airlines, including British Airways, Lufthansa and SAS, for fixing freight-services prices. That followed raids on both sides of the Atlantic last year, which also involved a U.S. Justice Department probe.

"The company is carefully reviewing the statement of objections with our internal and external counsel and will make a timely response to it," Cathay Pacific said.

"The company would like to emphasise that Cathay Pacific has always supported fair competition, and remains committed to compliance to all applicable competition laws," it said in a statement.

Shares in Cathay Pacific, Asia's fourth-largest airline by market value, gained 0.25 percent on Monday but underperformed the benchmark Hang Seng Index's 1.82 percent rally. Hong Kong's dominant carrier stressed that any investigation involved only its cargo division.

Japan Airlines Corp and All Nippon Airways said on Saturday they also had been charged by the European Commission, the 27-nation European Union's top antitrust watchdog.

Companies typically have two months to respond to a statement of objections.