Boeing’s shares edged higher on Thursday after reports that the company might sell up to 500 planes to China. The shares started the day around $225.50 and ticked up to about $226.40, as investors seemed excited about the deal.

The stock’s been on a steady climb lately, up roughly 25% over the last six months, thanks to strong orders and new deliveries.

Of course, there are still worries as supply chain snags and political tensions continue, but for now, the market seems to be focusing on the upside: more planes sold, more revenue, and a stronger position in China, which is growing faster than any other aviation market right now.

Breaking Boeing’s China drought

The talks about selling up to 500 planes to China could be a game-changer for Boeing, coming after years of almost no big commercial sales there.

Since 2017, deals have been tough to land as US-China tensions, trade spats, and red tape have all gotten in the way. And then there was the 737 MAX crisis, which left Boeing’s reputation a bit battered worldwide.

Sources say Boeing and Chinese officials are still ironing out the details, things like which planes, how many, and when they’ll be delivered. The deal isn’t done yet; it depends a lot on whether the bigger trade issues get settled.

For context, the order would be about the same size as a similar one China made with Airbus, which just goes to show how fierce the competition is.

If it goes through, it would break a long dry spell for Boeing in China and hint at a little more trust and cooperation between the two sides than there’s been in years.

Boeing eyes a China lift-off

China is massive for Boeing’s future. The country’s going to need tens of thousands of planes over the next couple of decades as more and more people start flying.

Boeing’s own numbers say the world will want about 43,600 new planes through 2044, and China is right at the top of that list, thanks to cities growing fast and more folks taking to the skies.

Landing a big chunk of that market is huge for Boeing, especially with Airbus breathing down its neck and local Chinese makers getting stronger.

Some people see this deal as more than just selling planes, as it could lead to closer tech and strategy partnerships. But nothing’s certain as a lot depends on how US-China relations play out, and if tensions flare up again, this whole thing could stall.

Looking at Boeing as a whole, the company has been picking up steam across commercial, defense, and even space projects.

Big orders from airlines in Asia and the Middle East show there’s still strong global demand. The defense side of things is doing particularly well like a $19 billion in contract wins just in Q2 2025 and a solid backlog to keep things busy.

That said, Boeing isn’t out of the woods. Supply chain issues and lingering effects from past product problems still make investors cautious.

But if the China deal goes through, it could be a real game-changer, giving Boeing a big lift in revenue and a stronger presence around the world in the years ahead.

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