Chief Economist & Political Strategist, CrossASEAN Research

Prasenjit K. Basu

Chief Economist & Political Strategist

CrossASEAN Research

At CrossASEAN Research we strive to produce unbiased and differentiated on the ground insights on companies across South East Asia. Our Research is produced for the most part after face to face meetings and conversations with company management to dig deep into the long term vision and strategy of the companies we cover. We seek to deliver investable and actionable themes on sectors and markets across SE Asia, often in collaboration with other Insight Providers across the region, pooling the vast experience of the analysts within the Smartkarma Ecosystem. We also offer bespoke work and tailor made trips for our clients. 

Insights across South East Asia

Macroeconomics

<ul>
<li>China's M2 (USD42.04trn) is double the size of US M2, having risen 10.4-fold in 18 years (far faster than the 3.1-fold increase in US M2 over that period). </li>
<li>Attempts at further monetary ease (RRR/rate cuts, QE) are futile, as they induce larger capital flight, and fail to rekindle credit demand amid PPI deflation and real-estate over-capacity. </li>
<li>RGDP growth is likely to weaken in H2CY24 as FAI and industrial growth flag, and retail sales stay sluggish. A larger trade surplus won't help, as FX reserves stagnate. </li>
</ul>


China's M2 (USD42.04trn) is double the size of US M2, having risen 10.4-fold in 18 years (far faster than the 3.1-fold increase in US M2 over that period). 
Attempts at further monetary ease (RRR/rate cuts, QE) are futile, as they induce larger capital flight, and fail to rekindle credit demand amid PPI deflation and real-estate over-capacity. 
RGDP growth is likely to weaken in H2CY24 as FAI and industrial growth flag, and retail sales stay sluggish. A larger trade surplus won't help, as FX reserves stagnate. 


China: Growth Inevitably Set to Flag as All Monetary Easing Proves Inefficacious

Quantitative Equity Analyst, DMA

Charlotte van Tiddens, CFA

Quantitative Equity Analyst

Technology-First Company

DMA is a technology-first company that provides an end-to-end SaaS solution to institutional investors. DMA enables regulated entities like asset managers, wealth managers, investment managers and financial advisors to connect their front and back office, break silos and reduce headcount.

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Global indices were rebalanced in the closing auction on Friday. Turnover for the day on the JSE was R41.9bn, R25bn traded in the closing auction (60%).</li>
<li>Turnover at the February rebalance was R25.6bn. Most SA constituents were pushed lower in the closing auction and for the day, consistent with the downweighting of SA Inc.</li>
<li>China was downweighted in the ACWI and EM indices for a second straight quarter, reducing the country weight in ACWI by 6bps to 2.69%.</li>
</ul>


Global indices were rebalanced in the closing auction on Friday. Turnover for the day on the JSE was R41.9bn, R25bn traded in the closing auction (60%).
Turnover at the February rebalance was R25.6bn. Most SA constituents were pushed lower in the closing auction and for the day, consistent with the downweighting of SA Inc.
China was downweighted in the ACWI and EM indices for a second straight quarter, reducing the country weight in ACWI by 6bps to 2.69%.


May 24 Indices Rebalance: SA & China Net Sells, NPN, PRX & Tencent Sold Down on Buybacks

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>Since mid-April we discussed how downside was limited on MSCI ACWI and EURO STOXX 50, and May 2nd discussed it was "quite possible" the lows were in.</li>
<li>Now, the MSCI ACWI, ACWI ex-US, EAFE, and EM indexes have all broken out to new multi-year highs. Our bullish outlook (since early-November 2023) remains intact; expect higher prices ahead.</li>
<li>China (MSCI China) continues to lead the EM turnaround, and we remain bullish on the space. We highlight many large-cap EM buys within Communications, Technology, Discretionary; we remain bullish miners.</li>
</ul>


Since mid-April we discussed how downside was limited on MSCI ACWI and EURO STOXX 50, and May 2nd discussed it was "quite possible" the lows were in.
Now, the MSCI ACWI, ACWI ex-US, EAFE, and EM indexes have all broken out to new multi-year highs. Our bullish outlook (since early-November 2023) remains intact; expect higher prices ahead.
China (MSCI China) continues to lead the EM turnaround, and we remain bullish on the space. We highlight many large-cap EM buys within Communications, Technology, Discretionary; we remain bullish miners.


Bullish Outlook Intact; EM and China Continue to Bottom; Buys in Comms, Tech, Discretionary, Miners

<ul>
<li>Over the past two weeks we've discussed the possibility that further downside was limited (4/23/24 Compass) and mounting evidence that suggests the pullback lows may be in (4/30/24 Compass).</li>
<li>Major risk-on developments for the broad equity market have continued to roll in over the past week, which we discuss below.</li>
<li>We continue to believe the lows are in, and we see the pullback to the 100-day MA on the S&amp;P 500 as healthy/normal within the ongoing bull market.</li>
</ul>


Over the past two weeks we've discussed the possibility that further downside was limited (4/23/24 Compass) and mounting evidence that suggests the pullback lows may be in (4/30/24 Compass).
Major risk-on developments for the broad equity market have continued to roll in over the past week, which we discuss below.
We continue to believe the lows are in, and we see the pullback to the 100-day MA on the S&amp;P 500 as healthy/normal within the ongoing bull market.


Major Risk-On Developments; Bullish Outlook Intact; Downgrading Health Care $XLV to Underweight

Head of Research and Global Chief Strategist, Steno Research

Andreas Steno

Head of Research and Global Chief Strategist

Macro and Geopolitical Research House

Steno Research

Steno Research is a new macro and geopolitical research house. We are based out of Copenhagen, Denmark, but have an international team and a strong network of sources and partners around the world. The team is lead by Andreas Steno, previous global head of strategy at Nordea Bank, and Mikkel Rosenvold, former chief consultant in the Danish Ministry of Finance.

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul><li>The cyclical rotation is slowly but slowly rolling and if central banks add rate cuts to this mix, we are staring directly into the melt up.</li><li>Welcome to our weekly Portfolio Watch, where we assess the tradeable themes and discuss our portfolio composition.</li><li>In this revamped version of the series, we will touch upon the developments in our Macro Alpha Portfolio and our Digital Assets Portfolio.</li></ul>

The cyclical rotation is slowly but slowly rolling and if central banks add rate cuts to this mix, we are staring directly into the melt up.Welcome to our weekly Portfolio Watch, where we assess the tradeable themes and discuss our portfolio composition.In this revamped version of the series, we will touch upon the developments in our Macro Alpha Portfolio and our Digital Assets Portfolio.

Portfolio Watch: What if We Add a Rate Cut to This Fire..

China

iShares MSCI China ETF is an exchange-traded fund incorporated in the USA. The ETF seeks to track the performance of the MSCI China Index. The Index is a free float adjusted market cap weighted index designed to measure the performance of equity securities in the top 85% in market cap of Chinese equity markets, as represented by the A-Shares, H-Shares, B-Shares, Red Chips, & P-Chips.

iShares MSCI China ETF (MCHI US)

China: Growth Inevitably Set to Flag as All Monetary Easing Proves Inefficacious

China's M2 is double the size of US M2, but further monetary easing futile amid capital flight and lack of credit demand amid deflation and over...

Prasenjit K. Basu

May 24 Indices Rebalance: SA & China Net Sells, NPN, PRX & Tencent Sold Down on Buybacks

Trade analytics covering the May rebalance, China a net sell for the second consecutive quarter. Tencent, Naspers and Prosus sold down at...

DMA

Bullish Outlook Intact; EM and China Continue to Bottom; Buys in Comms, Tech, Discretionary, Miners

Bullish Outlook Intact $ACWI; EM and China Continue to Lead; U.S. Dollar (DXY), WTI Crude Oil, and Gasoline Prices Rolling Over; Buys in: Comms,...

Vermilion Research

Major Risk-On Developments; Bullish Outlook Intact; Downgrading Health Care $XLV to Underweight

Major Risk-On Developments; Bullish Outlook Intact $SPX $QQQ $IWM; Downgrading Health Care $XLV to Underweight Despite Still Being Bullish on $XBI....

Vermilion Research

Portfolio Watch: What if We Add a Rate Cut to This Fire..

The cyclical rotation is slowly but slowly rolling and if central banks add rate cuts to this mix, we are staring directly into the melt...

Steno Research

China: Growth Inevitably Set to Flag as All Monetary Easing Proves Inefficacious

​China's M2 is double the size of US M2, but further monetary easing futile amid capital flight and lack of credit demand amid deflation and over...

Prasenjit K. Basu

May 24 Indices Rebalance: SA & China Net Sells, NPN, PRX & Tencent Sold Down on Buybacks

Trade analytics covering the May rebalance, China a net sell for the second consecutive quarter. Tencent, Naspers and Prosus sold down at...

DMA

Bullish Outlook Intact; EM and China Continue to Bottom; Buys in Comms, Tech, Discretionary, Miners

Bullish Outlook Intact $ACWI; EM and China Continue to Lead; U.S. Dollar (DXY), WTI Crude Oil, and Gasoline Prices Rolling Over; Buys in: Comms,...

Vermilion Research

Major Risk-On Developments; Bullish Outlook Intact; Downgrading Health Care $XLV to Underweight

Major Risk-On Developments; Bullish Outlook Intact $SPX $QQQ $IWM; Downgrading Health Care $XLV to Underweight Despite Still Being Bullish on $XBI....

Vermilion Research

Portfolio Watch: What if We Add a Rate Cut to This Fire..

The cyclical rotation is slowly but slowly rolling and if central banks add rate cuts to this mix, we are staring directly into the melt...

Steno Research

China's M2 is double the size of US M2, but further monetary easing futile amid capital flight and lack of credit demand amid deflation and over...