Asian shares slip, Apple suppliers fall after watch launch

Asian markets slipped Wednesday following a slide on Wall Street, with Tokyo hurt by a pick-up in the yen, while Apple suppliers turned lower as investors were left unimpressed with the US giant's latest iPhone and watch.

The pound edged up against the dollar but was still struggling on fears Scotland will vote to leave the United Kingdom.

Tokyo slipped 0.35 percent by the break, Sydney shed 0.88 percent and Shanghai gave up 0.64 percent, while Hong Kong returned from a one-day public holiday to fall 1.44 percent.

Seoul was closed for a public holiday.

With few regional catalysts, investors took their lead from Wall Street, where an initial rally following Apple's launch petered out after the Federal Reserve signalled more stringent capital requirements for banks.

A top official at the central bank said the largest lenders with high dependence on short-term funding would face tougher rules to ensure they do not place the financial system at risk.

The Dow gave up 0.57 percent and the S&P 500 dropped 0.65 percent, while the Nasdaq fell 0.87 percent.

On currency markets the greenback also edged back after hitting a six-year high of 106.35 yen on Tuesday.

In early trade it was at 106.15 yen, compared with 106.20 yen late in New York.

The euro bought 137.36 yen and $1.2940 Wednesday against 137.39 yen and $1.2938 in US trade. In Japan on Tuesday the single currency was sitting at 136.89 yen and a 14-month low of $1.2872.

The pound edged up slightly against the dollar but was still under pressure with next week's referendum on Scottish independence too close to call, raising fears the country could break away from the United Kingdom.

In the morning it bought $1.6128, up from $1.6105 in the US and sharply up from the 10-month-low $1.6084 in Asia Tuesday, but still off Friday's $1.6323.

Shares in firms that supply Apple dipped after it launched the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6+ with bigger screens than the current line-up, a long-awaited watch and a new payments system.

However, while Apple CEO Tim Cook said the new handsets represented "the biggest advancement in the history of iPhones", investors were not so effusive. Apple shares fell 0.4 percent in US trade.

In Tokyo Japan Display slipped 1.8 percent and Foster Electric lost 0.6 percent, while in Taipei Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. dipped 1.6 percent and display maker Largan Precision sank 1.2 percent.

Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at BMO Private Bank in the United States, said investors appeared to be disappointed. Apple's shares ended down 0.4 percent.

"Investors have come to expect game-changers from this company and anything short of that is a disappointment," he said.

On oil markets, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for October rose 21 cents to $92.96 while Brent crude edged up 23 cents to $99.39 in mid-morning trade.

Gold was at $1,255.73 an ounce, against $1,253.52 late Tuesday.