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

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

US: Election Is a Dead Heat, but There'll Be Very Different Winners from Each Outcome

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

Biden Leaves Presidential Race, Endorses VP Harris; Contest to Tighten if Dems Unite

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

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>Trump has pulled ahead in the swing states according to all 3 main poll trackers (RCP, fivethirtyeight and FT), with all now suggesting a Trump win in the electoral college. </li>
<li>WI, MI, NE and PA remain tight races, but the other 3 are in Trump's bag. With Trump ahead in PA and WI, Harris' only route out is reversing these. </li>
<li>History suggests that high inflation over a presidential term is fatal to incumbents (1952, 1976, 1980, 1992). With prices now 25% higher than in Jan'21, swing voters blame incumbent Harris. </li>
</ul>


Trump has pulled ahead in the swing states according to all 3 main poll trackers (RCP, fivethirtyeight and FT), with all now suggesting a Trump win in the electoral college. 
WI, MI, NE and PA remain tight races, but the other 3 are in Trump's bag. With Trump ahead in PA and WI, Harris' only route out is reversing these. 
History suggests that high inflation over a presidential term is fatal to incumbents (1952, 1976, 1980, 1992). With prices now 25% higher than in Jan'21, swing voters blame incumbent Harris. 


Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU INDEX)

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