The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has trapped a third of the world’s commercial helium, threatening the irreplaceable coolant that makes MRI scanners and advanced microchips possible ...

Helium, a gas that is critical for semiconductor manufacturing, is in the crosshairs of the Middle East conflict. That is bad ...

Qatar accounts for a third of global helium supply. But it has halted production of the gas, which is essential for semiconductor manufacturing.

Helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, but on earth it's in short supply. And Iran's retaliatory strikes on helium-rich Qatar have made it even more scarce.

Helium prices could rise meaningfully if the conflict involving Iran persists, though semiconductor production is unlikely to face major disruption, Bernstein analysts say. Get deeper analyst insight ...