Chief Economist & Political Strategist, CrossASEAN Research

Prasenjit K. Basu

Chief Economist & Political Strategist

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>The 'trade recession' of 2023 is over, and the OECD CLI suggests global trade should grow 4.5% this year, after just 0.4% growth in 2023 (akin to global trade recession). </li>
<li>Despite a hot job market (unemployment rate below NAIRU for 3 years), record illegal and legal immigration (and their higher working-age proportion) are keeping US wage growth relatively in check. </li>
<li>MoM gains in core PCE were lower than core CPI in Feb'24, and likely will be in Mar'24 also, allowing a glide to lower core-PCE inflation and Jul'24 rate cut. </li>
</ul>


The 'trade recession' of 2023 is over, and the OECD CLI suggests global trade should grow 4.5% this year, after just 0.4% growth in 2023 (akin to global trade recession). 
Despite a hot job market (unemployment rate below NAIRU for 3 years), record illegal and legal immigration (and their higher working-age proportion) are keeping US wage growth relatively in check. 
MoM gains in core PCE were lower than core CPI in Feb'24, and likely will be in Mar'24 also, allowing a glide to lower core-PCE inflation and Jul'24 rate cut. 


US Benign This Year: Trade Recession Over, but Rates Still Likely to Decline

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

Dow Jones Industrial Average / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>We still believe it's possible we've seen the lows for this pause/pullback on the SPX, and we see low probability of meaningful correction if SPX is above 4300-4325 (1.5-year support).</li>
<li>As initially discussed in our 8/29/23 Compass, we wouldn't be surprised to see another month+ (i.e., through the end of September, and possibly longer) of consolidation between 4325 and 4600.</li>
<li>Downgrading Industrials (XLI) to market weight due to 1.5+ year RS uptrend violation. Buys highlighted in Uranium and Energy (refiners and coal).</li>
</ul>


We still believe it's possible we've seen the lows for this pause/pullback on the SPX, and we see low probability of meaningful correction if SPX is above 4300-4325 (1.5-year support).
As initially discussed in our 8/29/23 Compass, we wouldn't be surprised to see another month+ (i.e., through the end of September, and possibly longer) of consolidation between 4325 and 4600.
Downgrading Industrials (XLI) to market weight due to 1.5+ year RS uptrend violation. Buys highlighted in Uranium and Energy (refiners and coal).


Downgrading Industrials to Market Weight; Major Supports Holding; Buys in Uranium and Refiners

<ul>
<li>The S&amp;P 500 has marginally surpassed the 4300-4325 area which we have anticipated would cap upside for 2023. </li>
<li>As noted in our 6/6/23 Compass, we are vigilant at these levels given we expect inflation to remain elevated, but we <em><strong>cannot be bearish</strong></em>if the SPX is above 4165-4200</li>
<li>Breadth has continued to improve within the Russell 2000, and the $IWM is approaching our first target of $190 following the breakout above $180. Also see breadth improving within SPX.</li>
</ul>


The S&amp;P 500 has marginally surpassed the 4300-4325 area which we have anticipated would cap upside for 2023. 
As noted in our 6/6/23 Compass, we are vigilant at these levels given we expect inflation to remain elevated, but we cannot be bearishif the SPX is above 4165-4200
Breadth has continued to improve within the Russell 2000, and the $IWM is approaching our first target of $190 following the breakout above $180. Also see breadth improving within SPX.


Dow Testing 1-Year Resistance at 34,280 Ahead of FOMC; Buy Ideas Within Manufacturing/Industrials

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/amazon-com-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:409:1" rel="noopener">Amazon.com Inc (AMZN US)</a> will replace <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/walgreens-boots-alliance-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1118:1" rel="noopener">Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA US)</a> in the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/dow-jones-industrial-average" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22887:1" rel="noopener">Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU INDEX)</a> at the close on 23 February.</li>
<li>Passives will need to sell a lot of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/walmart-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11134:1" rel="noopener">Walmart (WMT US)</a> following the 3:1 stock split and buy a lot of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/amazon-com-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:409:1" rel="noopener">Amazon.com Inc (AMZN US)</a>. </li>
<li>Given the ad hoc nature of the rebalances and the short timeline between announcement and implementation, the stocks could move over the rest of the week.</li>
</ul>



Amazon.com Inc (AMZN US) will replace Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA US) in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU INDEX) at the close on 23 February.
Passives will need to sell a lot of Walmart (WMT US) following the 3:1 stock split and buy a lot of Amazon.com Inc (AMZN US). 
Given the ad hoc nature of the rebalances and the short timeline between announcement and implementation, the stocks could move over the rest of the week.


Dow Jones Industrials (INDU) Index Rebalance: Amazon (AMZN) Replaces Walgreen Boots (WBA)

<ul>
<li>Real GDP grew 2.5% in CY23, helped by exports (+2.7%), PCE (+2.2%), government spending (+4.4%), and falling imports (-1.7%). Slower PCE and government-spending to reduce growth to ~1% in H1CY24. </li>
<li>Core PCE inflation (the Fed's target) eased to 2.93%YoY in Dec'23, the lowest in 33 months. More crucially, MoM annualized gains in core PCE averaged 1.85% in H2CY23. </li>
<li>13 months of M2 contraction, and deceleration in RGDP and core PCE, provide the perfect backdrop for a rate cut in Jun'24. Expect FOMC to hint at that this week. </li>
</ul>


Real GDP grew 2.5% in CY23, helped by exports (+2.7%), PCE (+2.2%), government spending (+4.4%), and falling imports (-1.7%). Slower PCE and government-spending to reduce growth to ~1% in H1CY24. 
Core PCE inflation (the Fed's target) eased to 2.93%YoY in Dec'23, the lowest in 33 months. More crucially, MoM annualized gains in core PCE averaged 1.85% in H2CY23. 
13 months of M2 contraction, and deceleration in RGDP and core PCE, provide the perfect backdrop for a rate cut in Jun'24. Expect FOMC to hint at that this week. 


US: On Track for a Rate Cut in Jun'24 as Core PCE Inflation Eases MoM and YoY

United States

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted average of 30 blue-chip stocks that are generally the leaders in their industry. It has been a widely followed indicator of the stock market since October 1, 1928.

Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU INDEX)

Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU INDEX)

US Benign This Year: Trade Recession Over, but Rates Still Likely to Decline

Global trade volume grew 0.4% in 2023, but lead indicators suggest a strong 2024 recovery. Benign MoM rises in core PCE should enable YoY inflation...

Prasenjit K. Basu

Downgrading Industrials to Market Weight; Major Supports Holding; Buys in Uranium and Refiners

Downgrading Industrials/Manufacturing $XLI to market weight. Still see low probability of a meaningful correction if the $SPX is above 4300-4325....

Vermilion Research

Dow Testing 1-Year Resistance at 34,280 Ahead of FOMC; Buy Ideas Within Manufacturing/Industrials

Dow $DJI Testing 1-Year Resistance at 34,280 ahead of FOMC. Breadth continues to improve within the Russell 2000 $IWM, and breadth improving within...

Vermilion Research

Dow Jones Industrials (INDU) Index Rebalance: Amazon (AMZN) Replaces Walgreen Boots (WBA)

Amazon replaces Walgreen Boots in the Dow Jones Industrial Average at the close on 23 February following Walmart's stock split. There will be over...

Brian Freitas

US: On Track for a Rate Cut in Jun'24 as Core PCE Inflation Eases MoM and YoY

Real GDP grew 2.5% in CY23, but slower PCE and government spending will reduce growth to ~1% in H1CY24. Core PCE inflation eased to 2.93%YoY in...

Prasenjit K. Basu

US Benign This Year: Trade Recession Over, but Rates Still Likely to Decline

Global trade volume grew 0.4% in 2023, but lead indicators suggest a strong 2024 recovery. Benign MoM rises in core PCE should enable YoY inflation...

Prasenjit K. Basu

Downgrading Industrials to Market Weight; Major Supports Holding; Buys in Uranium and Refiners

Downgrading Industrials/Manufacturing $XLI to market weight. Still see low probability of a meaningful correction if the $SPX is above 4300-4325....

Vermilion Research

Dow Testing 1-Year Resistance at 34,280 Ahead of FOMC; Buy Ideas Within Manufacturing/Industrials

Dow $DJI Testing 1-Year Resistance at 34,280 ahead of FOMC. Breadth continues to improve within the Russell 2000 $IWM, and breadth improving within...

Vermilion Research

Dow Jones Industrials (INDU) Index Rebalance: Amazon (AMZN) Replaces Walgreen Boots (WBA)

Amazon replaces Walgreen Boots in the Dow Jones Industrial Average at the close on 23 February following Walmart's stock split. There will be over...

Brian Freitas

US: On Track for a Rate Cut in Jun'24 as Core PCE Inflation Eases MoM and YoY

​Real GDP grew 2.5% in CY23, but slower PCE and government spending will reduce growth to ~1% in H1CY24. Core PCE inflation eased to 2.93%YoY in...

Prasenjit K. Basu

Real GDP grew 2.5% in CY23, but slower PCE and government spending will reduce growth to ~1% in H1CY24. Core PCE inflation eased to 2.93%YoY in...