Taiwan's stock market fell as investors cashed in recent gains, a mild negative for tech shareholders after a strong run.

• The Taiex dropped over 1% as traders sold ahead of Wednesday's futures settlement.
• Foreign investors were net sellers and held a large pile of bets against the market, a sign they expect a pullback.
• Big chip names like MediaTek and ASE took the brunt of the selling, though TSMC held up and kept the index from falling further.
• Money moved into shipping, food, and financial stocks instead, helped by rising freight rates and a planned government cash handout.

Outlook: Volatility around the settlement date should fade quickly, with attention returning to whether the tech rally can resume.