sianTechnology firms fell in Asia Tuesday, tracking a deep sell-off in New York where Apple was hammered by worries about demand for its iPhones, while energy firms also fell with oil prices. After last week’s US elections-inspired mini-rally, global equities resumed their months-long slide as investors fret over a number of issues from the China-US trade war and Brexit to rising US interest rates and slowing economic growth. The latest retreat comes after a key parts supplier said a client — widely taken to be Apple — had slashed orders, stoking speculation the US titan’s popular handset was not selling as well as in the past. Apple was already under pressure after posting disappointing earnings earlier this month and announcing it would no longer report iPhone sale numbers. The firm sank five percent Monday and is almost 17 percent down from its record high touched at the start of October. The retreat in New York’s tech firms was repeated in Asia, with Apple suppliers and other firms in the sector taking a severe hit. In Tokyo, Japan Display collapsed 9.5 percent to its lowest since listing in 2014, Alps Electronics sank more than four percent, and Sony was off almost 2.7 percent. Taiwan Semiconductor dived 1.7 percent in Taipei. Samsung shed 1.6 percent in Seoul and Tokyo-listed Sony shed 2.7 percent. However, there were some recoveries thanks to bargain-buying, with Tencent up 1.4 percent and AAC Technologies 0.2 percent higher in Hong Kong, while Foxconn closed up 1.6 percent in Taipei. Broader markets, while mostly down, also pared initial losses. Tokyo dropped two percent but Hong Kong added 0.6 percent and Shanghai climbed 0.9 percent. Sydney was 1.8 percent lower, while Singapore, Seoul, Taipei, Wellington and Manila were all in negative territory. Mumbai, Bangkok and Jakarta were higher. Published in Daily Times, November 14th 2018.