Crash aftermath for Boeing + Neon shortage + Crop failure

Despite the recovery of the black box on Wednesday, there have been no new details about the cause of the plane crash in Guangxi. But some of its consequences are already foreseeable: Another 737 debacle is causing the Chinese Market to lose trust in Boeing, our Beijing team analyzes. Since China is also entering the aviation market, it remains to be seen whether this will turn out beneficial for Airbus.

The war in Ukraine is also having a major consequence for supply chains. In today’s issue, Frank Sieren examines the impact on the supply of the noble gas neon. It may be best known for its use in old-fashioned fluorescent tubes. In reality, however, it is now used primarily in the fabrication of microchips – and they are in short supply as it is. This could benefit China, which can now step in as the second-largest supplier after Ukraine in the US business. This new dependency has, in turn, significant implications for trade policy.

The shelves for flour and sunflower oil in German stores are empty solely because of hoarding. But this is the response of consumers to entirely justified concerns about food security. But food security simply concerns the Global South more than the EU. Ukraine and Russia are among the world’s most important exporters of cereals. If China now experiences poor harvests because of climate change, this will considerably intensify concerns, analyzes Nico Beckert. China indeed has enormous reserves. But it will probably keep them for itself. After all, it feeds almost a fifth of the world’s population.

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Finn Mayer-Kuckuk