Daily Brief Macro: Debt Ceiling Countdown #4: The Chicken Game Catastrophe and more

In today’s briefing:

Debt Ceiling Countdown #4: The Chicken Game Catastrophe
CX Daily: Chinese Internet Giants, AI Startups Rush to Jump on ChatGPT Bandwagon
The Week That Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma – SCMA’s Reset, Metrodata, and Indocement’s Alternative Edge.

Debt Ceiling Countdown #4: The Chicken Game Catastrophe

Political commentators are freakishly zen when it comes to the U.S debt ceiling. The consensus view is that Congress *eventually* will come to a solution, “So calm down!”
While I don’t disagree with the end-result, it is astounding how few are concerned with the likely government crisis that will unfold before a deal is struck.
We are underestimating the power of the Freedom Caucus and overestimating Biden’s willingness to avoid a government shutdown. The cocktail is putting the U.S. on a path towards debt brinkmanship.

AI /Cover Story: Chinese internet giants, AI startups rush to jump on ChatGPT bandwagon
China-EU /Opinion: Macron and VDL’s visits to China – will the rejection of decoupling lead to restoration of relations?
Inspections /: China doubles down on rooting out corruption in sports

The Week That Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma is filled with an eclectic mix of differentiated, substantive, and actionable insights, macro and equity bottom-up, from across South East Asia
The past week saw inights on PT Surya Citra Media, PT Metrodata Electronics, Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa Monde Nissin Corp, Golden Energy & Resources, Thai Solar Energy, and Thai Union Group.
There were also macro insights on Malaysia and Vietnam and sector insights on banking, EVs in Indonesia and Singapore-listed manufacturing stocks plus a credit insight on Medco Energi (MEDC IJ)

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