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

While the US was the epicentre of the world's first Covid wave (peaking in January 2021), and India the second (peaking in early-May 2021), the epicentre of the current third global Covid wave is ASEAN. While Indonesia was initially the worst hit, this wave has spread to Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam (the latter two among the most successful in combatting Covid in 2020), with some scares in Singapore and the Philippines as well. ASEAN's real GDP is estimated to have grown over 10% YoY in 2Q 2021 (helped by a very depressed base from 2Q 2020) but the renewed Covid surge is set to weaken the economic recovery in 2H 2021. In July 2021, Indonesia has had more new Covid cases than any other nation globally. But the worst of Indonesia's Covid wave was reached on 18 July 2021 (at a 7-day moving average of 50,039 new daily infections), and these have since receded by nearly a fifth. The biggest hit will occur in 3Q 2021 growth, but Indonesia's real GDP should exceed 6% YoY in 4Q 2021, bringing full-year growth to about 5%. The worst-hit ASEAN economy (and polity) is Malaysia, where there have been 3 successive Covid waves in 2021, the last of which has not yet reached its peak. Consequently, the greatest economic and political uncertainty in 2H 2021 will be in Malaysia, which has the highest per capita Covid case load in South or South-east Asia (at 31,334 cases per million population). We expect real GDP to grow no more than 3% YoY in 2H 2021 despite a low base. Thailand and Vietnam, both extremely successful in containing Covid in 2020 (although Thailand's tourism-dependent economy nonetheless suffered a severe hit from the drying-up of tourist arrivals) are now seeing their first wave of Covid infections, in July 2021. The peak of the current Covid wave is not yet detectable in either country. Vietnam's Covid wave is concentrated in the south (Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding provinces), but Thailand's is concentrated around the main economic centre, Bangkok, and its surrounding provinces. However, the base effect is more helpful in Thialand than Vietnam (the latter having continued to grow in all four quarters of 2020), so we expect Vietnam's real GDP to grow 5% YoY and Thailand's 5-6% YoY in 2H 2021. Despite a major alarm being raised in Singapore as well, the latest Covid wave is very mild in the island-republic, and real GDP in Singapore is consequently likely to grow 7.2% in 2021.

While the US was the epicentre of the world's first Covid wave (peaking in January 2021), and India the second (peaking in early-May 2021), the epicentre of the current third global Covid wave is ASEAN. While Indonesia was initially the worst hit, this wave has spread to Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam (the latter two among the most successful in combatting Covid in 2020), with some scares in Singapore and the Philippines as well. ASEAN's real GDP is estimated to have grown over 10% YoY in 2Q 2021 (helped by a very depressed base from 2Q 2020) but the renewed Covid surge is set to weaken the economic recovery in 2H 2021. In July 2021, Indonesia has had more new Covid cases than any other nation globally. But the worst of Indonesia's Covid wave was reached on 18 July 2021 (at a 7-day moving average of 50,039 new daily infections), and these have since receded by nearly a fifth. The biggest hit will occur in 3Q 2021 growth, but Indonesia's real GDP should exceed 6% YoY in 4Q 2021, bringing full-year growth to about 5%. The worst-hit ASEAN economy (and polity) is Malaysia, where there have been 3 successive Covid waves in 2021, the last of which has not yet reached its peak. Consequently, the greatest economic and political uncertainty in 2H 2021 will be in Malaysia, which has the highest per capita Covid case load in South or South-east Asia (at 31,334 cases per million population). We expect real GDP to grow no more than 3% YoY in 2H 2021 despite a low base. Thailand and Vietnam, both extremely successful in containing Covid in 2020 (although Thailand's tourism-dependent economy nonetheless suffered a severe hit from the drying-up of tourist arrivals) are now seeing their first wave of Covid infections, in July 2021. The peak of the current Covid wave is not yet detectable in either country. Vietnam's Covid wave is concentrated in the south (Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding provinces), but Thailand's is concentrated around the main economic centre, Bangkok, and its surrounding provinces. However, the base effect is more helpful in Thialand than Vietnam (the latter having continued to grow in all four quarters of 2020), so we expect Vietnam's real GDP to grow 5% YoY and Thailand's 5-6% YoY in 2H 2021. Despite a major alarm being raised in Singapore as well, the latest Covid wave is very mild in the island-republic, and real GDP in Singapore is consequently likely to grow 7.2% in 2021.  

ASEAN as Epicentre of the Covid Crisis: Malaysia Worst Off, Indonesia Improving

Silver Point

Thomas J. Monaco

Independent Insight Provider

Silver Point is a boutique research firm that focuses on the broader financial services sector, with a particular focus on troubled institutions globally. 

Asia Ex Japan

Equity Bottom-Up

*Weak Numerics: Bangkok Bank (BBL.TB) [BBL] reported 2Q21 bottom-line results of THB 6.4 bn, declining THB 566 mn (8.2%) on a linked quarter basis. Core operating results were far worse, however, coming in at THB 553 mn or down 86.2% over the same period; and*Credit Risk Remains Elevated: We find that BBL’s annualized net new NPLs during the period are THB 4.2 bn or 8.3% annualized. Given the increase in net new NPLs, moratorium credits are unknown and remain a wild card, and that COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc, we find that while loss reserves are hefty, the aggressive push to build reserves and de minimis NCOs despite the consistently high NPLs may suggest a big clean-up is coming.

*Weak Numerics: Bangkok Bank (BBL.TB) [BBL] reported 2Q21 bottom-line results of THB 6.4 bn, declining THB 566 mn (8.2%) on a linked quarter basis. Core operating results were far worse, however, coming in at THB 553 mn or down 86.2% over the same period; and*Credit Risk Remains Elevated: We find that BBL’s annualized net new NPLs during the period are THB 4.2 bn or 8.3% annualized. Given the increase in net new NPLs, moratorium credits are unknown and remain a wild card, and that COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc, we find that while loss reserves are hefty, the aggressive push to build reserves and de minimis NCOs despite the consistently high NPLs may suggest a big clean-up is coming.

Asean-focused. Ex-Head of Thai Research

Athaporn Arayasantiparb, CFA

Asean (Thailand) Focused Independent Research

M Corp Review

M Corp is led by Athaporn Arayasantiparb who served as Head of Research for UOB and ANZ in Thailand and was an award-winning telecoms analyst at UBS in 2010 (AsiaMoney Thailand category) and Regional Strategist for DMG in Singapore. Prior to that, he also served as Kasikornbank credit analyst and scholar. He has a total work experience of 17 years, of which 14 were in research and 4 in research management roles. He started his career as an engineer for PTT and currently manages family investments. He holds an MBA from Stern (NYU) and CFA Charter since 2006. Apart from IPO Radar, which focuses on future listings, MCorp Review also provides six on-going thematic series ranked by frequency in descending order, namely: 1) Silicon Stories (technology) 2) Sathorn Series (financial services) 3) Thai-Coons (billionaire origin stories) 4) Reality Check (data-driven, investigative) 5) Thai Media Spotlight; and 6) Thai Macro Watch (global market drivers).

Cross Asset Strategy

<div>The low-base effects and continuation of QE under either Presidents conspire to raise Thai equities in 2021. Relative to our portfolio last year, these are the key adjustments MCorp Review has made:</div><div><ul>
<li>
Upgrades to: 1) financials due to the impact of QE; and 2) healthcare due to more reasonable valuations.</li>
<li>
Downgrades to: 1) energy, autos, and media due to changes in technology; 2) transport and power due to rising valuations and lack of catalyst; and 3) construction and electronics due to change in political environment. We are also less excited about F&amp;B or REITs, as markets head into a 'risk-on' phase.</li>
<li>
Maintenance of: 1) our originally bullish stance on tourism, telecoms, and IE; and 2) our bearish stance on property.</li>
</ul></div><div></div>

The low-base effects and continuation of QE under either Presidents conspire to raise Thai equities in 2021. Relative to our portfolio last year, these are the key adjustments MCorp Review has made:

Upgrades to: 1) financials due to the impact of QE; and 2) healthcare due to more reasonable valuations.

Downgrades to: 1) energy, autos, and media due to changes in technology; 2) transport and power due to rising valuations and lack of catalyst; and 3) construction and electronics due to change in political environment. We are also less excited about F&amp;B or REITs, as markets head into a 'risk-on' phase.

Maintenance of: 1) our originally bullish stance on tourism, telecoms, and IE; and 2) our bearish stance on property.


Thai Strategy 2021 (Part 3): Sector Outlooks

*Negative Operating Jaws Were A Surprise: DBS Group Holdings (DBS.SP) [DBS] reported 3Q20 results of SGD 1.3 bn, increasing SGD 50 mn (4.0%) on a linked quarter basis. Results were solely led on a justified SGD 295 mn (34.7%) reduction in loss provisions, which point to DBS’real challenges with negative operating jaws; and*Credit Risk Rising: By our calculation, and despite the net recovery of SGD 24 mn, we find that net new NPLs continue to increase – up SGD 272 mn or 18.9% on an annualized basis. Management too was less sanguine about credit quality on a go forward basis, expecting a re-acceleration of NPL formation in 2021 as COVID-19 government programs are set to expire. We feel that reserves should be shored up in the neighborhood of SGD 1.3 bn – amounting to a full quarter of results – and intimating this quarter was more managed than DBS would have the investment community believe.

*Negative Operating Jaws Were A Surprise: DBS Group Holdings (DBS.SP) [DBS] reported 3Q20 results of SGD 1.3 bn, increasing SGD 50 mn (4.0%) on a linked quarter basis. Results were solely led on a justified SGD 295 mn (34.7%) reduction in loss provisions, which point to DBS’real challenges with negative operating jaws; and*Credit Risk Rising: By our calculation, and despite the net recovery of SGD 24 mn, we find that net new NPLs continue to increase – up SGD 272 mn or 18.9% on an annualized basis. Management too was less sanguine about credit quality on a go forward basis, expecting a re-acceleration of NPL formation in 2021 as COVID-19 government programs are set to expire. We feel that reserves should be shored up in the neighborhood of SGD 1.3 bn – amounting to a full quarter of results – and intimating this quarter was more managed than DBS would have the investment community believe.      

DBS Group Holdings – Not Trending The Right Way Yet

Thailand has been one of Asia's worst performers in 2020, but for many of the same reasons, the Thai market will look more attractive in 2021:<ul>
<li>
Low base effects. An expected economic decline of 8% and earnings decline of 30% (with a quarter of listed companies losing money) has greatly lowered the bar for Thai companies. This makes it very attractive to bet on recovery stories, especially those that have been directly impacted by COVID-19 (such as tourism) and those catering to the rich.</li>
<li>
Continuation of QE. In an environment of strong QE action from the United States and other OECD nations, we are not expecting multiples to narrow even as earnings expand. The bias should remain on big caps that can absorb the surge in foreign liquidity.</li>
<li>
The remote economy is likely to continue at least for the first nine months, and if there is political instability, it will come in handy as well. We continue to expect broadband Internet providers or anything related to e-commerce and gaming to do well in much of 2021.</li>
</ul>

Thailand has been one of Asia's worst performers in 2020, but for many of the same reasons, the Thai market will look more attractive in 2021:

Low base effects. An expected economic decline of 8% and earnings decline of 30% (with a quarter of listed companies losing money) has greatly lowered the bar for Thai companies. This makes it very attractive to bet on recovery stories, especially those that have been directly impacted by COVID-19 (such as tourism) and those catering to the rich.

Continuation of QE. In an environment of strong QE action from the United States and other OECD nations, we are not expecting multiples to narrow even as earnings expand. The bias should remain on big caps that can absorb the surge in foreign liquidity.

The remote economy is likely to continue at least for the first nine months, and if there is political instability, it will come in handy as well. We continue to expect broadband Internet providers or anything related to e-commerce and gaming to do well in much of 2021.


Thailand

iShares MSCI Thailand Capped ETF is an exchange-traded fund incorporated in the USA. The ETF seeks investment results that correspond to the performance of the MSCI Thailand IMI 25/50 Index.

iShares MSCI Thailand (THD US)

ASEAN as Epicentre of the Covid Crisis: Malaysia Worst Off, Indonesia Improving

After 10%+YoY GDP growth in 2Q21, ASEAN became the epicentre of the 3rd global Covid wave. Malaysia is worst-hit, Indonesia's worst is over,...

Prasenjit K. Basu

Bangkok Bank – Rotten To The Core

BANGKOK BANK: BBL reported a 2Q21 QOQ core operating results decline of 86.2%. The increase in net new NPLs, unknown moratorium credits, and COVID...

Thomas J. Monaco

Thai Strategy 2021 (Part 3): Sector Outlooks

The low-base effects and continuation of QE under either Presidents conspire to raise Thai equities in 2021. Buy banks, avoid energy,

Athaporn Arayasantiparb, CFA

Thai Strategy 2021 (Part 1): Key Themes

The theme of the 2021 Thai strategy will be dominated by three things: a recovery story, a QE-inspired preference for big cap, and early-year...

Athaporn Arayasantiparb, CFA

ASEAN as Epicentre of the Covid Crisis: Malaysia Worst Off, Indonesia Improving

After 10%+YoY GDP growth in 2Q21, ASEAN became the epicentre of the 3rd global Covid wave. Malaysia is worst-hit, Indonesia's worst is over,...

Prasenjit K. Basu

Bangkok Bank – Rotten To The Core

BANGKOK BANK: BBL reported a 2Q21 QOQ core operating results decline of 86.2%. The increase in net new NPLs, unknown moratorium credits, and COVID...

Thomas J. Monaco

Thai Strategy 2021 (Part 3): Sector Outlooks

The low-base effects and continuation of QE under either Presidents conspire to raise Thai equities in 2021. Buy banks, avoid energy,

Athaporn Arayasantiparb, CFA

DBS Group Holdings – Not Trending The Right Way Yet

DBS GROUP HOLDINGS: Trends Are Poor. Costs Higher, Revenues Lower, and Provision Trend Likely To Be Reversed As We Head Into 2021.

Thomas J. Monaco

Thai Strategy 2021 (Part 1): Key Themes

The theme of the 2021 Thai strategy will be dominated by three things: a recovery story, a QE-inspired preference for big cap, and early-year...

Athaporn Arayasantiparb, CFA