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

US: Benign Core PCE Provides Smooth Passage to Small, Steady Rate Cuts

US: Presidential Race Remains a Dead Heat but Perceived Inflation Likely a Tiebreaker

U.S. Election Scenarios and Post-Election Policy Risks

Biden's Catastrophic Debate Likely to Lead to 1968-Repeat; Can It End Differently?

US: Presidential Race Narrows After a United DNC; Debates to Be Decisive

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>In possibly the only Trump-Harris presidential debate, VP Kamala Harris clearly won, according to polls/focus groups conducted by FoxNews and CNN, as well as the vast majority of commentators. </li>
<li>Harris largely remained focused on centrist positions, and was able to bait Trump into angry outbursts and digressions away from his key talking points. The economy remained her Achilles Heel.  </li>
<li>Weakness on the economy, and the failure to highlight her "freedom" theme, meant that Harris didn't score a slam dunk. The race is a dead heat, Harris a nose ahead. </li>
</ul>


In possibly the only Trump-Harris presidential debate, VP Kamala Harris clearly won, according to polls/focus groups conducted by FoxNews and CNN, as well as the vast majority of commentators. 
Harris largely remained focused on centrist positions, and was able to bait Trump into angry outbursts and digressions away from his key talking points. The economy remained her Achilles Heel.  
Weakness on the economy, and the failure to highlight her "freedom" theme, meant that Harris didn't score a slam dunk. The race is a dead heat, Harris a nose ahead. 


Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU INDEX)

US: Harris Wins the Presidential Debate Hands Down, but Impact on Race Still Mild