Electronics companies are getting gridlocked by coronavirus lockdowns

For anyone in the hardware business, the last month has brought some scary numbers. Computer shipments from China to the US dropped 64 percent in the first two weeks of March, according to a report from S&P Global Market Intelligence. Monitor and TV imports dropped 66 percent, against a broader 45 percent drop in total Chinese imports. Some analysts are already worried that the next round of iPhones could be delayed (although Apple insists the disruptions will be temporary).

This, roughly, is what happens when China closes its factories. The country began its coronavirus shutdown in earnest at the end of February, extending the Lunar New Year holiday until February 5th and placing severe public health restrictions. But while the...

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