SINGAPORE: Hard disk drive maker Seagate Technology’s US$1.9 billion purchase of smaller rival Maxtor Corp will shrink its supply chain, with Singapore firms that provide electronic parts to Maxtor likely to be the hardest hit, analysts said. Fears that Seagate would drop Maxtor suppliers Jurong Technologies Industrial Corp and Brilliant Manufacturing Ltd sent their shares tumbling as much as 12% and 9.5% respectively today. Companies that supply parts to Seagate saw their share prices rise, however, with MMI Holdings Ltd gaining as much as 5.6% and Seksun Corp up as much as 6.7% in morning trade. Analysts said the financial impact would probably only be felt by suppliers after the deal had closed in the second half of 2006, as Seagate and Maxtor would operate separately until then. Full article Business Times