11:02 - 18.03.2026

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March 18, Fineko/abc.az. The stoppage of helium supplies from Qatar because of the escalating conflict in the Middle East is provoking global shortages and a sharp rise in prices for this critically important resource.

ABC.AZ reports that Qatar occupies about a third of the global market, and cessation of shipments has already led to doubling of spot quotations, which could grow by 200% in the future.

The main impact will be on the semiconductor hubs of Asia - Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, where helium is indispensable for cooling equipment and photolithography in the production of chips. So far, the largest corporations are using accumulated reserves, but a prolonged crisis will inevitably lead to disruptions in supply chains and an increase in the cost of electronics. Ultimately, shortage of microchips could disrupt the launch of new data centers necessary for the development of AI technologies, as well as negatively affect the production of medical and rocket equipment.