B0eing says sales of 777 jetliner are lagging

SEATTLE — Citing “softness” in the widebody jet market, Boeing chief financial officer Greg Smith said Wednesday that the airplane manufacturer will decide in the next couple months whether to further cut back planned production of its large 777 jet.

Smith indicated that the dearth of widebody jet sales may also mean Boeing won’t raise output of the 787 Dreamliner as high as planned.

A further 777 production rate cut and a lowerthan-planned 787 rate — added to the possibility signaled last month that Boeing could shutter the 747 assembly line — would mean less work in the Seattle-area city of Everett, Wash., and potential job cuts there, though it’s unclear how severe the impact might be.