Allianz Research, the economic research team of German financial services group Allianz, has recently issued a report warning that the current tensions in the Middle East are impacting the global semiconductor supply chain, subjecting it to dual pressures of critical raw material shortages and energy supply disruptions. The report indicates that these risks could significantly drive up semiconductor market prices and potentially cause global chip manufacturers to incur monthly economic losses exceeding tens of billions of US dollars.
The analysis suggests that against the backdrop of highly concentrated global semiconductor production capacity and an already strained supply chain, potential energy shortages in the Middle East could further exacerbate market volatility. Allianz Research emphasizes that the supply chains for key raw materials essential to semiconductor production are extremely fragile, with the stable supply of helium, in particular, facing direct threats from geopolitical conflicts.
Regarding specific supply chain bottlenecks, Allianz Research points out that Qatar accounts for approximately one-third of global helium production. As a critical upstream input in the artificial intelligence industry chain, helium produced in Qatar is almost entirely dependent on port terminals in the Gulf region for export. Should regional conflicts obstruct shipping channels in the Gulf, widespread disruptions to global helium supply would directly impact semiconductor manufacturing, potentially leading to large-scale production halts and substantial financial losses.
Comments