Asia Economist and CEO, Centennial Asia Advisors

Manu Bhaskaran

Mr. Bhaskaran is a leading Asian economist based in Singapore with more than 30 years of experience in studying economic, political and security issues that shape the business environment in Asia. He co-ordinates the Asian business of Washington DC-based strategic advisory firm, Centennial Group, directing its Asian economic research practice which provides in-depth analysis of macro trends in Asia. He works extensively with investment institutions, government agencies and corporations. Mr. Bhaskaran regularly presents his views on the economic, political and business environment in Asia at business conferences and in-house briefings. He has conducted studies on a wide range of subjects including: consumer finance in Asia; Asian integration; regional and country-specific political and economic outlooks; the Impact of China on Asia; portfolio capital flows in emerging markets, amongst many others. He is as a member of the Regional Advisory Group for Asia and the Pacific of the International Monetary Fund. Mr. Bhaskaran is a regular columnist for The Edge (Singapore) and holds positions in think tanks including being Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS); Vice President of the Economics Society of Singapore, and Council Member of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA). Mr. Bhaskaran serves on the boards of CIMB Investment Bank and Japfa Limited.

Asia Economist and CEO

Global PMIs: Fiscal Policy to Take Lead Should Growth Decelerate Sharply

Global Economy: Synchronised Growth Turns into Easing

US: Fed Runs the Risk of Falling Behind the Curve; but Emerging Markets May Breathe Easier

Global Economy: Cracks Are Widening Beneath the Veneer of Respectable Global Growth

Global Economy: US Is Clear Leader in G3; Japan Regains Its Footing; Outlook for Eurozone Is Murky

Global Economy: PMIs Reveal Sanguine Outlook, Albeit with Some Moderation

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

<ul>
<li>First, growth in global manufacturing remains on track but there are more signs of moderation. Production levels have eased in large economies while further moderation appears to be in the offing as new orders lose momentum. Inflationary pressures are also rising. This could mean that buoyant sentiments are misaligned with fundamentals.</li>
<li>Second, the passthrough from global demand onto trade activity has weakened, as evinced by outright declines in export order books across half of the economies covered in the analysis, including bellwethers Taiwan and South Korea. Our CAA Asia Trade Lead Indicator paints a similar picture, predicting a soft patch for Asian export volumes in the near term.</li>
<li>Heavily reliant on external demand for its exports, Asian growth could be due for some moderation going forward.</li>
</ul>


First, growth in global manufacturing remains on track but there are more signs of moderation. Production levels have eased in large economies while further moderation appears to be in the offing as new orders lose momentum. Inflationary pressures are also rising. This could mean that buoyant sentiments are misaligned with fundamentals.
Second, the passthrough from global demand onto trade activity has weakened, as evinced by outright declines in export order books across half of the economies covered in the analysis, including bellwethers Taiwan and South Korea. Our CAA Asia Trade Lead Indicator paints a similar picture, predicting a soft patch for Asian export volumes in the near term.
Heavily reliant on external demand for its exports, Asian growth could be due for some moderation going forward.


Global PMIs: Spillover of Global Demand into Trade Activity Weakens