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Boeing Faces $1bn Monthly Losses In 2024 Amid Crisis

Boeing reported a staggering loss of $11.8 billion in 2024, nearly a billion dollars each month, marking its worst financial performance since 2020. The company’s struggles were driven by a combination of safety crises, quality control issues, and a damaging strike.

The final quarter of the year, impacted by industrial action, saw Boeing lose $3.8 billion. Alongside well-documented problems with its commercial aircraft division, the company also faced setbacks in its defense programs. CEO Kelly Ortberg acknowledged the need for “fundamental changes” to restore Boeing’s financial health and rebuild trust.

A key blow came in January 2024 when a door panel fell off a new 737 Max shortly after take-off, highlighting serious quality control lapses. This incident, linked to both Boeing and its supplier Spirit Aerosystems, reignited safety concerns following the 2018-2019 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people. As a result, regulators demanded major changes to Boeing’s production processes.

Boeing’s challenges were compounded by a seven-week strike in September, which halted production of critical aircraft models, including the 737 Max, 777, and 767 freighter. The strike cost Boeing billions and was settled in November, but its impact lingered.

In response, Boeing laid off 10% of its workforce and raised over $20 billion through share sales and borrowing to safeguard its credit rating. The company also pushed back the launch of the 777X, now slated to enter service in 2026 instead of 2025.

While Boeing delivered 348 commercial aircraft in 2024, its competitor Airbus delivered 766. Boeing’s defense business also underperformed, losing more than $5 billion due to rising costs on fixed-price military contracts.

Ortberg remains focused on stabilizing Boeing’s operations and improving safety and quality, to restore the company’s performance and regain trust from customers, employees, suppliers, and investors.

Cyprus Emerges As A Leading Household Consumer In The European Union

Overview Of Eurostat Findings

A recent Eurostat survey, which adjusts real consumption per capita using purchasing power standards (PPS), has positioned Cyprus among the highest household consumers in the European Union. In 2024, Cyprus recorded a per capita expenditure of 21,879 PPS, a figure that underscores the country’s robust material well-being relative to other member states.

Comparative Consumption Analysis

Luxembourg claimed the top spot with an impressive 28,731 PPS per inhabitant. Trailing closely were Ireland (23,534 PPS), Belgium (23,437 PPS), Germany (23,333 PPS), Austria (23,094 PPS), the Netherlands (22,805 PPS), Denmark (22,078 PPS), and Italy (21,986 PPS), with Cyprus rounding out this elite group at 21,879 PPS. These figures not only highlight the high expenditure across these nations but also reflect differences in purchasing power and living standards across the region.

Contrasting Trends In Household Spending

The survey also shed light on countries with lower household spending levels. Hungary and Bulgaria reported the smallest average expenditures, at 14,621 PPS and 15,025 PPS respectively. Meanwhile, Greece and Portugal recorded 18,752 PPS and 19,328 PPS, respectively. Noteworthy figures from France (20,462 PPS), Finland (20,158 PPS), Lithuania (19,261 PPS), Malta (19,622 PPS), Slovenia (18,269 PPS), Slovakia (17,233 PPS), Latvia (16,461 PPS), Estonia (16,209 PPS), and the Czech Republic (16,757 PPS) further illustrate the disparate economic landscapes within the EU. Spain’s figure, however, was an outlier at 10,899 PPS, suggesting the need for further data clarification.

Growth Trends And Economic Implications

Eurostat’s longitudinal analysis from 2019 to 2024 revealed that Croatia, Bulgaria, and Romania experienced the fastest annual increases in real consumer spending, each growing by at least 3.8%. In contrast, five member states, with the Czech Republic experiencing the largest drop at an average annual decline of 1.3%, indicate a varied economic recovery narrative across the continent.

This comprehensive survey not only provides valuable insights into current household consumption patterns but also offers a robust framework for policymakers and business leaders to understand economic shifts across the EU. Such data is integral for strategic decision-making in markets that are increasingly defined by evolving consumer behavior and regional economic resilience.

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