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 Continues to Overheat, Reflected in a Seemingly-Weak GDP Print

Tight Labour Market Obliges the Fed to Quickly Reverse Its Policy Error

US: Inflation Shock Implies More Rate Hikes Needed Even as Recession Looms

US Monetary Policy Stays Ultra-Loose Amid 30-Year-High Inflation; 'Taper' a Misnomer

The Big Risks For 2022 .... Large Debts, Less Liquidity and Growing Indexation?

American Policy Risks Go Beyond Fed Monetary Tightening

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>CPI inflation (7%YoY) is at its highest since the Volcker era (June 1982), core CPI inflation (5.5%YoY) its highest since February 1991, driven by 12-14%YoY growth in M2 during 2H21.</li>
<li>The 'disappointing' NFP still brought the unemployment rate down to 3.9% in December 2021, well below the NAIRU, resulting in a 4.7%YoY rise average hourly earnings (wages).  </li>
<li>We expect at least 4 hikes in the Fed Funds rate this year, taking it to 1.25% by end-year, with QE4 likely abandoned at the Jan25-26 FOMC meeting. </li>
</ul>


CPI inflation (7%YoY) is at its highest since the Volcker era (June 1982), core CPI inflation (5.5%YoY) its highest since February 1991, driven by 12-14%YoY growth in M2 during 2H21.
The 'disappointing' NFP still brought the unemployment rate down to 3.9% in December 2021, well below the NAIRU, resulting in a 4.7%YoY rise average hourly earnings (wages).  
We expect at least 4 hikes in the Fed Funds rate this year, taking it to 1.25% by end-year, with QE4 likely abandoned at the Jan25-26 FOMC meeting. 


US: Tight Labour Market and Still-Abundant M2 Make for an Inflationary Cocktail