LOSSES in Top Glove Corp Bhd shares weighed on the key index in the early session after the US Customs and Border Protection (US CBP) directed its personnel at all ports of entry to begin seizing disposable gloves produced in Malaysia by the glove producer.

At 12pm, Top Glove lost 23 sen or 4.55% to RM4.82, with 38.04 million shares traded.

In a notice published by the US CBP, it found certain products by Top Glove to be manufactured with the use of convict, forced, or indentured labour. These include products from all the company’s subsidiaries.

As a result, the US law enforcement agency can now seize all gloves, subject to automatic forfeiture, that have entered the US or those that may enter in the future.

AmInvestment Bank Bhd said while glove demand is projected to remain elevated in the next few years, it was unlikely that Top Glove found viable substitutes for the entire US customer base and this would affect the group’s earnings as glove urgency begins to normalise.

“Additionally, this provides local peers as well as China players such as Blue Sail Medical and Intco Medical with additional bargaining power with US customers,” the investment bank said in a research note today. – Bernama, March 30, 2021.