Boeing Co is still working toward the first delivery of its delayed 787 Dreamliner in the first quarter of 2010, and its customer financing for new orders is sufficient into next year, the planemaker said on Tuesday.

Boeing shares were up 4.4 percent at $32.36 in morning New York Stock Exchange trade following the comments.

A reiteration of the schedule is certainly good, said Alex Hamilton, senior managing director at Jesup & Lamont Securities.

Carson said market demand for the carbon-composite jetliner was strong, with 878 firms orders from 57 customers.

Boeing has been struggling to assemble the plane because of late design changes, parts shortages and substandard work by contractors.

Hamilton said the Carson's comments on credit were encouraging, given the tight credit markets that have curbed buying since last year. Boeing has said it is likely to book fewer orders this year than it did in 2008.

(Reporting by Kyle Peterson, editing by Dave Zimmerman and Lisa Von Ahn)