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, 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

Where to Hide when PH Gains a Narrow Win Amid PAS Marginalisation and UMNO Infighting

A Malay Tsunami Sweeps Najib from Power, as Mahathir-Anwar Score a Landslide Win

The Role of Investigative Journalism in Malaysia’s Surprise Elections

1MDB-TRX City Meltdown Implies It Is Advantage Opposition in the Runup to the Election

Inflation Spurts, as Do Exports: Still Waiting for BNM, but Time for a Small Bite

Malaysia: A Rate Hike This Week Could Make It a Good Contrarian Pick

REAL-Economics.com

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<p><strong>Malaysia's 14th General Election, to be held on May 9th, will be the most competitive ever. In the absence of cheating, we expect the main Opposition alliance, Pakatan Harapan (PH), to win a slim majority in parliament. Tun Dr Mahathir will briefly serve as Prime Minister, ensure a royal pardon for Anwar Ibrahim, his release from prison, and his accession to the prime ministership by end-June. While this will be disruptive in the short-term -- especially since PH intends to abolish the GST -- it</strong>…</p>

Malaysia's 14th General Election, to be held on May 9th, will be the most competitive ever. In the absence of cheating, we expect the main Opposition alliance, Pakatan Harapan (PH), to win a slim majority in parliament. Tun Dr Mahathir will briefly serve as Prime Minister, ensure a royal pardon for Anwar Ibrahim, his release from prison, and his accession to the prime ministership by end-June. While this will be disruptive in the short-term -- especially since PH intends to abolish the GST -- it…

Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) (FBMKLCI INDEX)

Malaysia: Gerrymandering, Disqualification of Opposition Candidates; but Still Advantage Anwar