Chief Economist & Political Strategist, CrossASEAN Research

Prasenjit K. Basu

PK Basu has 34 years experience covering Asia's economies and markets (equities, fixed income and currencies), including 20 years covering the global economy. He was Chief Economist (SE Asia & India) at Credit Suisse First Boston for 5 years, and Chief Asia (x-Jpn) Economist at Daiwa Securities for a similar period. Among other roles, he was global head of research at Maybank Kim Eng, Malaysia equity research head and chief ASEAN economist at Macquarie, Chief Economist at ICICI Securities, ASEAN economist at UBS and the first chief economist at Khazanah Nasional (where he was co-head of research, and led all agri-business initiatives). PK Basu started his career in the Asia Service of WEFA (Wharton Econometrics) in Philadelphia in 1990, rising to be Director of their Asia Service in June 1994. 
PK's book, "Asia Reborn: A continent rises from the ravages of Colonialism and War to a New Dynamism" won the Tata Literature First Book Award (non-fiction) for 2018. It is the first single chronicle of the modern economic and political history of the whole of Asia (from Iraq and Turkey to Korea and Japan, and everything in between), told from an Asian perspective.

Chief Economist & Political Strategist

With a Positive Real FF Rate Restored, FOMC Hiking Cycle Is Nearly Done

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FOMC Goldilocks Projections Overlook Fiscal Drag & Student Loan Repayments

With Inflation Untamed, More Fed and ECB Rate Hikes Ahead Despite Recession

US: Elevated Inflation and Tight Labour Market to Force Hikes Despite Bank Turmoil

Gravity Works As WeWork Doesn't; Now Plan B

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>With core PCE and core CPI both rising more than 4.8%MoM annualised in recent months, and up 4.7%YoY and 5.3%YoY respectively, the pause could only be justified with forward hawkishness.  </li>
<li>ISM manufacturing PMI below 50 for six months, manufacturing new orders below 50 for 9 months, and Services PMI at 50.3 now, suggest that the US is already in recession.</li>
<li>We continue expecting the FedFunds rate to peak at 5.5%, with the Apr-Sep'23 recession and lagged impact of rate hikes enabling core PCE inflation to subside to 3%YoY by end-2023.</li>
</ul>


With core PCE and core CPI both rising more than 4.8%MoM annualised in recent months, and up 4.7%YoY and 5.3%YoY respectively, the pause could only be justified with forward hawkishness.  
ISM manufacturing PMI below 50 for six months, manufacturing new orders below 50 for 9 months, and Services PMI at 50.3 now, suggest that the US is already in recession.
We continue expecting the FedFunds rate to peak at 5.5%, with the Apr-Sep'23 recession and lagged impact of rate hikes enabling core PCE inflation to subside to 3%YoY by end-2023.


Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU INDEX)

FOMC's Hawkish Pause: Recession and a FF Peak of 5.5% to Finally Restrain Core PCE