As the Iran conflict drags on, helium supply might actually become an issue. And that’s something people aren’t really talking about.
Helium is critical for chip manufacturing, and a big chunk of global supply comes from that region. If that gets disrupted, chip production could be affected pretty quickly. While Asian chipmakers might be able to offer around 3 months of buffer… what happens after that?
This might not just be about oil prices going up. It could turn into a real supply-side problem for semis, which basically sit at the core of the whole AI trade.
That’s why I’m starting to wonder if this is where things begin to shift a bit. Higher oil keeps inflation sticky, rates stay higher for longer, and at the same time you get pressure on chip supply.