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: Real GDP to Sustain 8%+ YoY Growth over the Next 18 Months

India Banks - Far Better Credit Metrics Seem Real, With Exceptional Long-Term Loan Growth Outlook

US: Increase Weight in Bonds Vs Equities in the Early Part of 2024

Trump's Trade War Revisited: Tariffs Did Reduce China's Bilateral Surplus with US

China Economy – Foreign trade plunge shows no relief of global recession risk

'Bidenomics' Delays Recession, but USD Rebound & Fiscal Reins Are Tipping Points

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>China continues losing US market share at 1pp+ per year since Mar’18 (when its share was 21.8%); in the year to Sep’23, China’s share of US imports declined to 14%. </li>
<li>US imports have declined YoY in 10 of the past 11 months. Although we expect the US to go into recession this quarter and next, US imports have already troughed.                </li>
<li>Although the US economy will weaken (as PCE is slowed by student-loan repayments, and fiscal pullback begins), US imports should start rebounding in Q1CY24, boosting India and ASEAN, not China. </li>
</ul>


China continues losing US market share at 1pp+ per year since Mar’18 (when its share was 21.8%); in the year to Sep’23, China’s share of US imports declined to 14%. 
US imports have declined YoY in 10 of the past 11 months. Although we expect the US to go into recession this quarter and next, US imports have already troughed.                
Although the US economy will weaken (as PCE is slowed by student-loan repayments, and fiscal pullback begins), US imports should start rebounding in Q1CY24, boosting India and ASEAN, not China. 


Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU INDEX)

US Recession Still Likely but Imports to Rebound Sooner, Benefiting India-ASEAN