Asia Economist and CEO, Centennial Asia Advisors

Manu Bhaskaran

Asia Economist and CEO

Centennial Asia Advisors

At Centennial Asia Advisors, we tell it like it is. We have no vested interests, no need for a China wall, and no reason to skew our outlook any other way. With over 30 years experience covering Asia’s political economy, you can be sure our conclusions and analyses are based on the unadulterated facts. Through years of fine-tuning our research methodologies, we deliver a quality of macroeconomic analysis few other houses can match.

Centennial Asia Advisors is an independent research and advisory firm that works with governments, multilateral institutions, financial firms and leading MNCs.

Economic Policy and Strategic Advisors

Macroeconomics

The storms in the South China Sea continue to rage on.<ul>
<li>
Indonesia standing up to China: President Jokowi visited the Natuna Islands on board the same navy warship that had recently clashed with Chinese fishing vessels. He held a Cabinet meeting on board the vessel as well.</li>
<li>
The Philippines’ stance is less clear: President-elect Duterte, who has been less supportive of the country’s military alliance with the US, queried the US Ambassador on the extent of US support for the Philippines in case of a…</li>
</ul>

The storms in the South China Sea continue to rage on.

Indonesia standing up to China: President Jokowi visited the Natuna Islands on board the same navy warship that had recently clashed with Chinese fishing vessels. He held a Cabinet meeting on board the vessel as well.

The Philippines’ stance is less clear: President-elect Duterte, who has been less supportive of the country’s military alliance with the US, queried the US Ambassador on the extent of US support for the Philippines in case of a…


China on Weaker Ground in the South China Sea

<ul><li>The global environment appears more and more threatening to Asian economies, with rising risks of currency market volatility in Asia. In this context, we see the credibility of central banks and how appropriately valued their currencies as crucial determinants of resilience in the face of potential shocks.</li><li>We examined inflation differentials to identify which currencies could be under threat and which would be relatively more robust.</li></ul>

The global environment appears more and more threatening to Asian economies, with rising risks of currency market volatility in Asia. In this context, we see the credibility of central banks and how appropriately valued their currencies as crucial determinants of resilience in the face of potential shocks.We examined inflation differentials to identify which currencies could be under threat and which would be relatively more robust.

Asian Currencies: What Inflation Differentials Show

<ul><li>Incoming President, Rodrigo Duterte promised a 'diverse and progressive cabinet'. His first set of appointments does make good on diversity in terms of the share of technocrats, members of the radical National Democratic Front (NDF) and women. However, there are rising concerns over what these appointments signal about policy intentions.</li></ul>Assessment: Policy continuity at risk<ul><li>
Inner circle over merit: Duterte ruled against appointing Vice President-elect Leni Robredo to the Cabinet out of respect…</li></ul>

Incoming President, Rodrigo Duterte promised a 'diverse and progressive cabinet'. His first set of appointments does make good on diversity in terms of the share of technocrats, members of the radical National Democratic Front (NDF) and women. However, there are rising concerns over what these appointments signal about policy intentions.Assessment: Policy continuity at risk
Inner circle over merit: Duterte ruled against appointing Vice President-elect Leni Robredo to the Cabinet out of respect…

Philippines: Duterte's Controversial Cabinet

Although the formal results will only be announced later in May, with his main rivals having conceded defeat, it is certain that Rodrigo Duterte, the controversial 71-year old Mayor of Davao City, has been elected President of the Philippines following last Monday's elections. The outcome of the separate Vice Presidential election remains unclear, but Duterte's running mate Ferdinand Marcos Junior is a top contender trailing only slightly behind Senator Leni Robredo in preliminary results.Can he…

Although the formal results will only be announced later in May, with his main rivals having conceded defeat, it is certain that Rodrigo Duterte, the controversial 71-year old Mayor of Davao City, has been elected President of the Philippines following last Monday's elections. The outcome of the separate Vice Presidential election remains unclear, but Duterte's running mate Ferdinand Marcos Junior is a top contender trailing only slightly behind Senator Leni Robredo in preliminary results.Can he…

The Enigma of Duterte: Philippines Remains Vulnerable

Asia Economic Research, Centennial Asia Advisors

Asees Bajaj

Asia Economic Research

<ul>
<li>China is working to pre-empt the forthcoming ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which is likely to weaken the basis of China’s claims to almost the entire South China Sea.</li>
<li>First, it is acting to divide ASEAN so that there is no united regional front against it. China persuaded the weakest members of ASEAN - Brunei, Cambodia and Laos - to agree that the territorial disputes in the South China Sea were “not an issue between China and ASEAN as a whole”.</li>
<li>Second, China continues to create…</li>
</ul>


China is working to pre-empt the forthcoming ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which is likely to weaken the basis of China’s claims to almost the entire South China Sea.
First, it is acting to divide ASEAN so that there is no united regional front against it. China persuaded the weakest members of ASEAN - Brunei, Cambodia and Laos - to agree that the territorial disputes in the South China Sea were “not an issue between China and ASEAN as a whole”.
Second, China continues to create…


United States

iShares MSCI Philippines ETF is an exchange-traded fund incorporated in the USA. The ETF seeks to track the performance of the MSCI Philippines Investable Market Index.

iShares MSCI Philippines (EPHE US)

China on Weaker Ground in the South China Sea

The storms in the South China Sea continue to rage on. Indonesia standing up to China: President Jokowi visited the Natuna Islands on board the...

Manu Bhaskaran

Asian Currencies: What Inflation Differentials Show

The global environment appears more and more threatening to Asian economies, with rising risks of currency market volatility in Asia. In this...

Manu Bhaskaran

Philippines: Duterte's Controversial Cabinet

Incoming President, Rodrigo Duterte promised a 'diverse and progressive cabinet'. His first set of appointments does make good on diversity in...

Manu Bhaskaran

The Enigma of Duterte: Philippines Remains Vulnerable

Although the formal results will only be announced later in May, with his main rivals having conceded defeat, it is certain that Rodrigo Duterte,...

Manu Bhaskaran

China Attempts to Divide ASEAN

China is working to pre-empt the forthcoming ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which is likely to weaken the basis of China’s claims to...

Asees Bajaj