Asian shares fall as Apple’s price hikes dents tech optimism

SYDNEY: Asian shares eased from record highs on Friday as hefty price hikes from Apple showed the downside of the boom in chip demand, while only the threat of Japanese intervention kept the yen from hitting 40-year lows. Brent crude futures slipped 0.5% to $74.89 a barrel, having bounced 2% from four-month lows overnight on reports that a ship was attacked when exiting the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has warned vessels against taking routes that it had not approved, though more stranded oil tankers have crossed the key waterway with the help of military escorts, easing supply concerns. Nasdaq futures…