New York, Jan 10, 2026, 17:37 EST — Market closed
- Boeing shares rose 3.1% on Friday after a report of progress in the 737 MAX 10’s FAA certification testing.
- The MAX 10 still faces an unresolved engine deicing issue, and the FAA sign-off needed to start deliveries is not yet in hand.
- Next catalysts include U.S. inflation data next week and Boeing’s Jan. 27 earnings release.
Boeing shares ended up 3.1% on Friday at $234.53. The stock traded between $228.30 and $235.13.
The Federal Aviation Administration has cleared Boeing’s 737 MAX 10 to move into the second phase of flight testing, a key step toward certification — the FAA sign-off required before airlines can fly a new model — a source familiar with the program told Reuters. The jet has more than 1,200 orders in its backlog, the industry’s term for its order book, but an engine deicing issue remains unresolved and the FAA green light does not cover the smaller MAX 7, Reuters reported. “It’s progress, but until (the MAX 10) is certified, it’s not,” said Scott Hamilton, an aerospace analyst and principal with The Leeham Company. Reuters
Why this matters now: Boeing’s cash recovery hangs on delivering more jets, not just building them. Every month the MAX 10 stays on the ground gives Airbus more room in the high-demand narrowbody segment, and airlines a cleaner alternative in the A321neo.
Chart watchers also noticed the move. Boeing’s shares finished above closely watched moving averages, with the 50-day around $227 and the 200-day near $212, levels some traders treat as trend markers.
The rally came as broader U.S. stocks pushed to record highs on Friday after December jobs data, while rate-cut bets held steady and the dollar strengthened, Reuters reported.
Washington added another cross-current for the sector. Defense contractors have been calling lawyers after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order linking buybacks and dividends — when companies repurchase stock or pay out cash to shareholders — and executive pay to weapons delivery schedules; Boeing declined to comment, Reuters reported. Boeing has not been buying back shares or paying a dividend since March 2020, a separate Reuters report noted, but the order puts fresh emphasis on delivery performance across big contractors.
The next hard catalyst is earnings. Boeing said it will report fourth-quarter results on Jan. 27, with CEO Kelly Ortberg and CFO Jay Malave scheduled to discuss the numbers on a conference call at 10:30 a.m. ET.
Before that, the macro tape gets noisy. The U.S. consumer price index for December is due Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 8:30 a.m. ET, followed by producer price data on Wednesday, Jan. 14, also at 8:30 a.m. ET — releases that can swing rates and industrial stocks in a hurry.
For Boeing, investors will keep circling back to timelines: any hint that the deicing fix is closer, and whether the FAA testing cadence is speeding up or bogging down. Traders will also watch whether the stock can hold above Friday’s low around $228 and press through the $235 area when trading reopens.
But the downside case hasn’t gone away. Certification can stall on technical findings, and any fresh quality problems or supplier snags can quickly turn into missed deliveries and weaker cash flow — the metric equity investors have been leaning on.
When trading resumes on Monday, the focus is likely to stay on the MAX 10 path and any signals from regulators. The next date on most calendars is Jan. 27, when Boeing reports results and updates its 2026 outlook.
