Boeing faces further turbulence

Boeing’s shares saw their best one-day performance in over five months early this week. But the plane-makers' troubles aren't over yet.

Boeing 737MAX

(Image credit: Copyright(2018)The Boeing Company)

Boeing's shares jumped by 5%, their best one-day performance in over five months, early this week after the company announced that it expects the "troubled" 737 Max jet to return to service as early as January, says Peter Wells in the Financial Times. They could even resume deliveries of the jet to customers in December. The jet has been grounded since March owing to its role in two fatal air crashes, one in October 2018 and another in March 2019, with a combined number of 346 fatalities. Even after the latest news, Boeing shares are still down 16% from their pre-crash peak.

Merely getting the planes back into service may not be enough to save the job of Boeing's CEO Dennis Muilenburg, says Martin Rivers in The Guardian. His "apparent ignorance" of the 737 Max's design flaws, has been undermined by a "steady trickle" of leaked documents and the testimony of whistleblowers, and suggests that he was "blinded by a desire to stay competitive with Airbus, Boeing's European rival". He insists he won't resign, but Boeing's shareholders know that the company's future depends on the public's confidence in "reliable, airworthy" planes.

MoneyWeek

Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Get 6 issues free
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/mw70aro6gl1676370748.jpg

Sign up to Money Morning

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Sign up
Dr Matthew Partridge
MoneyWeek Shares editor