Taiwan stocks down

Taiwan stocks hit a near two-year high on Monday before reversing gains as investors locked in profits, while overall sentiment remained cautious.
As of 0400 GMT, the main TAIEX index was down 0.4 percent at 9,869.35. Earlier in the session, it rose as high as 9,916.18, its highest since April 29, 2015. The broader market has jumped 7 percent so far this year to its highest in nearly two years on Monday, prompted by foreign buying amid expectations that Apple Inc's upcoming iPhone model would benefit its Taiwanese suppliers such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
TSMC, the world's top contract chipmaker, slid as much as 1.04 percent. The electronics subindex climbed as much as 0.1 percent, while the financials subindex was unchanged.
Cathay Financial Holding, the parent company of Taiwan's biggest life insurer, was unchanged. The Taiwan dollar firmed T$0.121 to T$30.505 per US dollar. Earlier in the day, it had reached T$30.50, its highest intraday level in about 22 months.