Malaysian glove stocks surge on hantavirus alert
Top Glove Corporation Bhd shares and one of its warrants were the most actively traded on Bursa Malaysia. (Bernama pic) The shares of Malaysia’s big four glove makers were snapped by astute investors ...
Source: Free Malaysia Today · July 21, 2026 at 8:29 AM · AI-assisted report
Single-sourceKUALA LUMPUR, 21 JULY 2026 —
Top Glove Corporation Bhd gained 5.6% to close at 76 sen on Wednesday, lifting its market capitalisation to RM6.25 billion, after news of a hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship revived pandemic-era demand for medical gloves.
Market Impact
Hartalega Holdings Bhd rose 4.2% to RM1.23, valuing it at RM4.2 billion, while Supermax Corp Bhd climbed 4.8% to 33 sen and Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd advanced 7.1% to RM1.21. Top Glove’s warrant C5M was the most actively traded instrument on Bursa Malaysia, with 103.9 million units changing hands at 7.5 sen.
At least eight hantavirus cases have been reported, including three deaths, linked to the MV Hondius, a cruise ship sailing from Cape Verde to Tenerife. The World Health Organization said the public health risk remains low, but governments are tracking passengers and crew. Malaysia’s health ministry confirmed no Malaysians were aboard, while Singapore reported two crew members tested negative.
Hantaviruses, carried by rodents, can cause Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome with mortality rates between 30% and 40%, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said. He said Malaysia remains on high alert despite the contained situation.
The buying echoed the surge that followed the Covid-19 outbreak, when glove makers saw revenues and profits soar amid global shortages. Punters who bought Supermax shares at the pandemic’s start and sold near its peak made returns exceeding 2,000%, according to the source.
Top Glove’s turnover reached 91.7 million shares, making it the most actively traded stock on Bursa Malaysia. Hartalega, Supermax and Kossan also featured among the most active issues, with daily volumes suggesting a rotation into defensive plays.
Related: Top Glove · Bursa Malaysia