The US Federal Aviation Administration certified Boeing's 737 MAX 7 on Monday, nearly a decade after the company first expected approval. The smallest version of Boeing's bestselling jet faced years of additional scrutiny following two fatal MAX 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019, plus a 2024 mid-air panel incident. Boeing shares jumped as much as 8% on the news. The certification unlocks revenue for Boeing, which has roughly 30 to 40 MAX 7s and MAX 10s already built and awaiting delivery. Manufacturers collect most of a plane's price upon delivery. However, Southwest Airlines, the plane's launch customer, won't begin revenue service until 2027. The airline needs to upgrade extra-legroom seats on its own aircraft before they can fly. Boeing already has 282 orders for the MAX 7, with FAA approval for the larger MAX 10 expected to follow.

Archer Aviation will acquire Boeing's Wisk Aero, Insitu, and SkyGrid subsidiaries, adding a defence business with over $200 million in annual revenue operating in 35 countries. The stock rose 18% following the announcement. The acquisition brings drone hardware and autonomy software. Insitu has built more than 3,500 uncrewed aircraft systems for intelligence and surveillance, whilst Wisk has conducted over 1,700 flight tests of self-piloting eVTOL aircraft across six generations. SkyGrid contributes air-traffic-management software. Boeing will receive Archer shares representing approximately 19.75% of Class A stock, plus warrants covering roughly $100 million of shares exercisable at $13.00 and $17.88. Boeing retains access to Wisk's autonomous flight technology and gains a board seat. The transaction requires antitrust and national security clearance, with completion expected by year-end 2026.

CNBC host Jim Cramer praised his early call on Boeing shares after the aerospace giant's second-quarter results exceeded expectations. Boeing reported $24.56 billion in revenue and a $0.76 loss per share, with free cash flow reaching $631 million—substantially beating the $177 million analyst estimate. Since earnings, Boeing shares have risen 9.9%. Bulls cite 8% revenue growth and a $715 billion backlog as positive indicators. Bears point to the company's forward P/E multiple of 833 and $54 billion in debt as concerns. Hedge fund ownership declined from 114 funds in Q4 2025 to 99 in Q1 2026, suggesting weakening sentiment. Notable investors including Point72 Asset Management and Tudor Investment Corp exited positions during the first quarter.