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

India: Surging Tax Revenue Helps Lower PSBR, Ensuring Capex-Led Growth

India: Net Exports and Investment to Ensure 7%+ RGDP Growth as PSBR Moderates

India: Robust Economic Momentum Despite Some Seeming Fiscal Deterioration

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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>India's real policy rate was +0.55% in Dec'22, as CPI inflation receded to 5.72%YoY, within the RBI's 2-6% inflation target for the second consecutive month. No more rate hikes likely. </li>
<li>Industrial output expanded 7.1% YoY in Nov'22, with consumer nondurables output up 8.9%YoY -- tentative sign of a turnaround in consumption after a half-year of sluggishness. Consumer durables rebounded too. </li>
<li>After a stagnant decade, capital goods output expanded 20.7%YoY in Nov'22 (+14.9%YoY in Apr-Nov'22), capital goods imports +15.4%YoY. Rebounding GFCF will ensure 7.5% RGDP growth in FY23, 7.2% in FY24.</li>
</ul>


India's real policy rate was +0.55% in Dec'22, as CPI inflation receded to 5.72%YoY, within the RBI's 2-6% inflation target for the second consecutive month. No more rate hikes likely. 
Industrial output expanded 7.1% YoY in Nov'22, with consumer nondurables output up 8.9%YoY -- tentative sign of a turnaround in consumption after a half-year of sluggishness. Consumer durables rebounded too. 
After a stagnant decade, capital goods output expanded 20.7%YoY in Nov'22 (+14.9%YoY in Apr-Nov'22), capital goods imports +15.4%YoY. Rebounding GFCF will ensure 7.5% RGDP growth in FY23, 7.2% in FY24.


S&P BSE SENSEX Index (SENSEX INDEX EQUITY)

India: Growth on Track Even as Inflation Abates; No More Rate Hikes Likely