Apple's iPad, MacBook production at risk with new Chinese Covid lockdowns
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Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) production of iPads and MacBook laptops could be at risk of being disrupted due to new Covid-19-related lockdowns in a region of China where the tech giant's products are built. 
Officials in the city of Chengdu have extended indefinitely Covid lockdowns in the areas that were set to end on Wednesday. According to a report from Nikkei Asia, Chengdu city officials have said the lockdowns will last for at least one week as the city has said it intends to "bring the number of cases down to zero in a week."
The report said that only "essential infrastructure" that involves water, electricity, oil, gas, communications, food supplies and manufacturers that are meeting specific requirements will be allowed to continue operating during the new lockdown. The extension is also going into effect just as the region has begun to come back from a series of electrical outages tied to a drought in the Chengdu area.
The shutdown is on a massive scale, as Chengdu is home to more than 20M people. The city is scheduled to run two rounds of mass testing on Friday and Sunday, and residents in so-called "high-risk" areas won't be allowed to leave their homes during the lockdown. People who live in what are called "medium-risk" areas won't be able to leave their residential complexes.
The Chengdu lockdown comes amid reports that Apple (AAPL) has cut shipment forecasts for its new MacBook Pro before the laptop has even gone into large-scale production. The move is seen as concerning due to it being a possible sign of weaker-than-expected demand heading into the end-of-the-year Christmas and holiday shopping season.
On Wednesday, Apple (AAPL) held an event at its Cupertino, California headquarters that included details about new versions of the Apple Watch.